Andrew Hamilton recall, Lake Forest, California (2017-2018)

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Lake Forest City Council recall
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Officeholders
Andrew Hamilton
Recall status
Recall approved
Recall election date
January 2, 2018
See also
Recall overview
Political recall efforts, 2018
Recalls in California
California recall laws
City council recalls
Recall reports

A recall against Lake Forest City Councilman Andrew Hamilton was approved on January 2, 2018.[1] City resident Larissa Fellick Clark sought Hamilton's removal due to disagreements with the councilman over his support for a contract with Orange County Animal Center and rezoning a plant nursery for new home construction. Hamilton responded to the petition by referring to Clark's reasons for recall as lies.[2]

Hamilton was targeted for recall in 2016, but the effort did not advance due to insufficient signatures. The 2016 effort was led by a different city resident and was based on different rationale than the 2017 effort.

Recall vote

A recall election for Hamilton's seat took place on January 2, 2018. Voters voted yes or no on the recall of Andrew Hamilton.[3]

Shall Andrew Hamilton be recalled (removed) from the office of City Council Member?
ResultVotesPercentage
Yes check.svg Recall4,78373.06%
Retain1,76426.94%
Election results via: Orange County Registrar of Voters 
Candidates to succeed Andrew Hamilton if he is recalled
ResultVotesPercentage
Yes check.svgTom Cagley 2,922 51.79%
Red x.svgDavid Glick 397 7.04%
Red x.svgNeeki Moatazedi 517 9.16%
Red x.svgMark Tettemer 1,284 22.76%
Red x.svgFrank Wagoner 412 7.3%
Red x.svgStan Yombo 110 1.95%
Election results via: Orange County Registrar of Voters 

Recall supporters

Clark made the following claims against Hamilton in her recall petition:[4]

  • Voted for contract with Orange County Animal Center
  • Supported rezoning the Nakase plant nursery for new homes
  • Allegedly recorded conversations with constituents and created online aliases, though Clark acknowledged that she had no evidence for these claims

Clark also told local media that recalling Hamilton would break apart a three-member voting bloc on the five-member council.[4]

Recall opponents

After the recall effort began, Hamilton said, "I think the recall is meant to tear our community apart." Hamilton's official response to the petition repeated the words "Falsehoods, Whoppers, Lies, Distortions, Denigration, Untruths, Fabrications, Dishonesty" 19 times.[4]

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing recall in California

Clark's notice of intent to recall featured signatures from 23 residents. A notice of intent to recall must have 20 valid signatures before a recall effort proceeds to the signature-gathering stage. Clark and other supporters needed signatures from at least 8,834 city residents to require a recall election. Clark filed her petition with the city clerk on March 9, 2017, and submitted 16,307 signatures to the city on July 25, 2017.[4][5] The Orange County Registrar of Voters verified 9,155 signatures as valid.[4] The Lake Forest City Council voted 4-1 on October 3, 2017, to set the election date for January 2, 2018.[1]

Recent news

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See also

External links

Footnotes