Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
Andrew Coolidge and Sean Morgan recall, Chico, California (2021-2022)
| Chico mayor and city council recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
Sean Morgan |
| Recall status |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2022 Recalls in California California recall laws Mayoral recalls City council recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall Mayor Andrew Coolidge and District 1 City Councilmember Sean Morgan failed to qualify for the ballot in Chico, California.[1][2]
Recall organizers alleged that Coolidge and Morgan were fiscally irresponsible. In particular, organizers opposed an ice rink development in the city plaza and a resting site at the Chico airport for people without housing. Coolidge replied that a recall election would be expensive and would undermine the will of the voters who elected him.[1][3][4]
Recall supporters
A group called Chico Voters initiated the recall campaign. In a press release, the group gave the following grounds for Coolidge's recall: "Mr. Coolidge ran on a platform of public safety and sound fiscal policy. ... His failure to embrace common sense guidance, adhere to norms of transparent governance and listen to the will of the people has resulted in a community that is worse off than when he swore that oath."[4]
Chico Voters also said it was trying to recall Coolidge over his support for an ice rink development project. In a statement, they said, referring to the fence around the proposed ice rink site, "This fence prevents residents from enjoying one of Chico’s most vital local landmarks and community gathering places. ... The fence also demonstrates the fiscally irresponsible decision to create an ice rink during a drought. Furthermore, the ice rink undermines the recovery of the town of Paradise, whose own ice rink is a customary outing for many Chico families.”[4]
The group later gave the following grounds for the recall campaign against Morgan in a press release.[1]
| “ |
Sean Morgan is for Law and Order. Except when he's not. Like when he ignores orders from a circuit court judge. Or votes for unconstitutional ordinances. Or doesn’t agree with the outcome of a lawsuit, or referendum, like Chico Scrap Metal. Mr. Morgan is for Fiscal Responsibility. Except when he's not. Like when he supports a useless $50k no-bid contract. Or a $300k boondoggle of a 'resting' place that defies a 'straight-face' test. Or costs the city $50k to kick a citizen out of chambers. Or stalls jobs and revenue from a new industry. Mr. Morgan is for Fair, Equitable Governance. Except when he's not. Like when he publicly disparages those who disagree with him. Or caters to special interests with deep pockets. Or hamstrings city agencies from protecting our parks and waterways. Tempting though it might be to chalk this up to ignorance, or even incompetence, we think not. Mr. Morgan simply does and says what he wants, what he thinks his donors want. Irrespective of consequence. Irrespective of cost. Irrespective of the will of the people he was elected to serve. He is not a public servant. His irresponsible actions cost taxpayers. RECALL and REPLACE SEAN MORGAN[5] |
” |
Recall opponents
In response to the recall campaign, Morgan said, "They want to have cannabis dispensaries at every corner, they want needles given out at every park, they're upset that I don't want to do that, okay. ... But here's the thing, I'm not going to change."[3]
Mayor Coolidge issued a press release, which read in part:[4]
| “ |
Like [Gov. Gavin] Newsom said, political extremists are ‘weaponizing’ the recall in an attempt to overturn the fair results of a recent election. ... The very same is being done here by [Angela] McLaughlin and [Jessica] MacKenzie as they seek to advance their extremist agendas within the city. ... I am here to serve the people of Chico. ... My only goal is to continue to make Chico a better place to live and safer for our students. I won’t do that by trying to promote myself to some kind of false local fame. I am extremely proud, not only of this council but also of the city staff for their efforts towards this goal.[5] |
” |
Coolidge later commented to Action News Now: "We've seen these kinds of recall efforts before in our state, both locally with Chico Unified School District, here with the city council prior. This is really something that I think the voters are tired of. I think they're tired of these extreme populations trying to backpedal reelection."[3]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in California
Recall organizers served a notice of intention to circulate a recall petition to Morgan on November 4 and to Coolidge on November 2.[1]
To schedule a recall election for Morgan, organizers needed to collect around 2,424 signatures within 90 days. For Coolidge, they needed 1,519 signatures.[3][2]
Organizers submitted 2,052 signatures for Coolidge to the city clerk on February 14, 2022.[6] The recall did not make the ballot after 1,305 signatures were verified.[2]
Organizers ended the recall campaign against Morgan without turning in petitions. In a press release, they said, "Petitioners have until (March 14) to secure the required number of signatures to recall Morgan. ... However, a filing at that late date would likely result in (Butte County) having to hold a special election later in the summer at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars."[7]
See also
- Recall campaigns in California
- Political recall efforts, 2021
- Political recall efforts, 2022
- City council recalls
- Mayoral recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 ABC7 KRCR, "Chico Councilman Sean Morgan served recall notice on Thursday," November 4, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Enterprise-Record, "Effort to recall Sean Morgan dropped," February 17, 2022
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Action News Now, "Two Chico Councilmembers Issued Recall Notices in One Week, Group Behind It Explains Why," November 4, 2021
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Enterprise-Record, "Mayor Andrew Coolidge served recall papers mid meeting," November 2, 2021
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Enterprise Record, "Committee says it has enough signatures to go forward with mayoral recall," February 14, 2022
- ↑ Enterprise-Record, "Effort to recall Sean Morgan dropped," February 17, 2022
