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Angela Wilkerson recall, Sturgis, South Dakota (2024)
| Angela Wilkerson recall |
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| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2024 Recalls in South Dakota South Dakota recall laws Mayoral recalls Recall reports |
An effort in Sturgis, South Dakota, to recall Mayor Angela Wilkerson ended when Wilkerson resigned from her position in response to the circulation of recall petitions.[1]
Recall supporters
Recall petitions listed the following as grounds for recalling Wilkerson:[2]
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Recall opponents
Wilkerson submitted her resignation, effective immediately, on October 21, 2024. Her statement read:[1]
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It is with a heavy hart that I submit my resignation as mayor of Sturgis, effective immediately. From the start of my time in office, my only goal has been to serve the people of this community with integrity and a deep commitment to doing what was in the best interest of every resident. I have always believed in the power of unity and in working together for the betterment of Sturgis. Unfortunately, the reality of this office has been starkly different. Over the course of my tenure, I have faced constant opposition from members of the City Council who, rather than supporting the collective good, have sought to push me out through underhanded tactics. I have endured intimidation from certain business leaders who have leveraged their influence for personal gain at the expense of our city. This toxic environment has led to the departure of nearly all our city staff, creating an unworkable situation and making it impossible for the city to function effectively. Despite these challenges, I have done everything within my power as a part-time mayor to keep this city moving forward, with no personal gain—only the well-being of our residents at heart. However, I can see that my staying will only continue to making things worse, as the attacks on me will not stop until my opposition has what they want: their person in this seat, their people as city administrator and financial officer. The attacks on me are only devastating the city more. So I will step back so these attacks can stop and our city can move forward instead of being pushed back. I want to thank those in our community who supported me, who shared my vision for a peaceful, united Sturgis, and who stood by me in these difficult times. My deepest hope is that this city will one day come together, set aside personal grievances, and work toward the common good. I wish Sturgis all the best in the future and will continue to pray for healing and unity in this community.[3] |
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Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in South Dakota
South Dakota allows the following grounds for recall: misconduct, malfeasance, nonfeasance, crimes in office, drunkenness, gross incompetency, corruption, theft, oppression, or gross partiality. To get the recall on the ballot, supporters must collect signatures equal to 15% of the registered voters of the relevant jurisdiction, based upon the total number of registered voters at the last preceding general election in the jurisdiction. Signatures must be collected within 60 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
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 KELO, "Sturgis mayor resigns," October 21, 2024
- ↑ KBHB Radio, "Petition to recall Sturgis mayor begins circulating," October 7, 2024
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ South Dakota Codified Laws, "9-13-30. Petition for recall--Number of signatures--Grounds--Time limits--Challenge to petition." accessed October 16, 2023
