Alexander Pedersen recall, Capitola, California (2025)
| Alexander Pedersen recall |
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| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2025 Recalls in California California recall laws City council recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall City Councilman Alexander Pedersen did not go to a vote in Capitola, California, after Pedersen resigned on May 8, 2025.[1]
Recall supporters
A group called Concerned Citizens of Capitola organized the recall effort. While addressing the Capitola City Council during a January 30, 2025, meeting, Concerned Citizens of Capitola representative TJ Welch gave alleged ethical violations, including using a false address, misusing public funds, violating his oath of office, and conflict of interest, as reasons for the recall effort.[2]
Recall opponents
During the May 8, 2025, meeting of the Capitola City Council, Pedersen said, "When I ran for office, I did so with an intention to serve this community and to have a positive impact. I had no expectation of the level of vitriol that would be expressed by this small but vocal minority. While I strongly believe that it is wrong to validate this type of behavior, I also have a responsibility to ensure the security and emotional well-being of my family. After deep consideration, I've made the difficult decision to resign from my role on city council."[3]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in California
No specific grounds are required for recall in California. The recall process starts with a notice of intention to recall. The notice must be served to the officer whose recall is being sought as well as published in a newspaper of general circulation. The notice must then be filed with the relevant election office. Once the notice has been deemed sufficient by the election office, a petition must also be filed and approved by the election office. Once the petition is approved, it can be circulated. To get a recall on the ballot, supporters must collect signatures from registered voters in the jurisdiction. The number of signatures required is between 10% and 30% of registered voters in the jurisdiction, depending on the size of the jurisdiction. Jurisdictions with 1,000 registered voters or fewer require 30%, and jurisdictions with 100,000 or more registered voters require 10%. Charter cities can also set their own signature threshold. The amount of time allowed for the circulation of recall petitions also varies by the number of registered voters in a jurisdiction, between 40 and 160 days. Jurisdictions with fewer than 1,000 registered voters allow 40 days, and jurisdictions with more than 50,000 registered voters allow 160 days.[4]
Recall context
- See also: Ballotpedia's Recall Report
Ballotpedia covers recall efforts across the country for all state and local elected offices. A recall effort is considered official if the petitioning party has filed an official form, such as a notice of intent to recall, with the relevant election agency.
The chart below shows how many officials were included in recall efforts from 2012 to 2024 as well as how many of them defeated recall elections to stay in office and how many were removed from office in recall elections.
See also
- Ballotpedia's Recall Report
- Capitola, California
- Recall campaigns in California
- Political recall efforts, 2025
- City council recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Santa Cruz Local, "Capitola Vice Mayor Alexander Pedersen quits," May 9, 2025
- ↑ City of Capitola, "January 30, 2025, City Council Meeting," accessed May 21, 2025
- ↑ City of Capitola, "May 8, 2025, City Council Meeting," accessed May 21, 2025
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Recall Procedures Guide 2023," accessed October 16, 2023
