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Bob Ferguson recall, Attorney General of Washington (2020)
| Washington Attorney General recall |
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| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2020 Recalls in Washington Washington recall laws State executive recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) was launched in December 2019. A hearing was held on January 10, 2020, to determine if the reasons for recall were sufficient. A King County judge ruled that the reasons for recall were too vague and could not proceed.[1] If the reasons for recall were approved, supporters would have needed to collect 780,000 valid signatures to force a recall election.[2][3]
Recall supporters criticized Ferguson over his endorsement of Initiative 1639. It was approved in 2018. The initiative implemented restrictions on the purchase and ownership of firearms including raising the minimum age to purchase a gun to 21, adding background checks, increasing waiting periods, and enacting storage requirements. The recall also accused Ferguson's office of a failure to recuse itself in relation to the ongoing lawsuit surrounding the $30 car tab measure, Initiative 976.
Ferguson was first elected to the position in 2012. He was re-elected in 2016 with 67% of the vote.
Recall supporters
On December 16, 2019, Matthew Marshall and Scott Bannister filed the following recall petition with the Washington Secretary of State.[4]
Recall opponents
As of January 10, 2020, Ferguson had not made a statement regarding the recall effort.
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Washington
Grounds for recall
Article I, §33 of the Washington Constitution says that a recall can only occur if the targeted public official has engaged in the "commission of some act or acts of malfeasance or misfeasance while in office, or who has violated his oath of office." The grounds for recall were submitted to the state Secretary of State on December 16, 2019.[2] In January 2020, a King County judge did not approve the reasons for recall.[1]
Signature requirement
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A petition for recall must include a specified number of valid signatures from registered voters determined as a percentage of total votes cast for all candidates who ran for the office in the most recent election contest. This amounts to:
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The reasons for recall were not approved by the superior court on January 10. If the recall language was approved by the Superior Court, supporters would have needed 780,000 signatures to force a recall election.[1]
Election history
2016
- Main article: Washington Attorney General election, 2016
Ferguson filed to run for re-election in the 2016 election for attorney general of Washington.[6] Only one candidate, Libertarian Joshua Trumbull, filed to run against him. As the state holds a top-two primary, both candidates automatically advanced to the general election.
Results
General election
Incumbent Bob Ferguson defeated Joshua Trumbull in the Washington attorney general election.
| Washington Attorney General, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Bob Ferguson Incumbent |
67.14% | 2,000,804 | |
| Libertarian | Joshua Trumbull | 32.86% | 979,105 | |
| Total Votes | 2,979,909 | |||
| Source: Washington Secretary of State | ||||
Primary election
Incumbent Bob Ferguson and Joshua Trumbull were unopposed in the Washington primary for attorney general.
| Washington primary for attorney general, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Bob Ferguson Incumbent |
72.61% | 906,493 | |
| Libertarian | Joshua Trumbull |
27.39% | 341,932 | |
| Total Votes | 1,248,425 | |||
| Source: Washington Secretary of State | ||||
2012
| Attorney General of Washington General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Bob Ferguson |
53.5% | 1,564,443 | |
| Republican | Reagan Dunn | 46.5% | 1,361,010 | |
| Total Votes | 2,925,453 | |||
| Election results via Washington Secretary of State | ||||
Ferguson was elected attorney general of Washington in the 2012 general election. Washington has a top-two primary system, in which the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, go on to the general election.[7] He faced two Republican challengers—fellow King County Councilman Reagan Dunn and Stephen Pidgeon—in the primary election on August 7 and received the highest number of votes, securing one of two available slots on the general election ballot.[8] The other slot went to Dunn (R), with whom he squared off on November 6, 2012.[9] The night after the polls closed, on November 7, 2012, the race was called for Ferguson.[10]
| Attorney General of Washington, Primary, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Bob Ferguson |
51.7% | 685,346 | |
| Republican | Reagan Dunn |
38.2% | 506,524 | |
| Republican | Stephen Pidgeon | 10.1% | 134,185 | |
| Total Votes | 1,326,055 | |||
| Election results via Washington Secretary of State | ||||
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 MyNorthwest, "King County judge rules against effort to recall state AG Bob Ferguson," January 10, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 770 KTTH, "Grassroots effort underway to recall Bob Ferguson over abuse of power," December 18, 2019
- ↑ KOMO News, "Hearing to mull recall vote for state AG Ferguson clears next step," January 3, 2020
- ↑ Recall Bob Ferguson, "Recall Process," accessed January 2, 2020
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "November 8, 2016 General Election Results," accessed January 21, 2020
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Top 2 Primary: FAQ," accessed May 17, 2012
- ↑ King County Councilmember Bob Ferguson, "Bob's Bio," accessed February 9, 2012
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2012 Primary Results," August 7, 2012 (dead link)
- ↑ Seattle's Q13 FOX, "Inslee maintains slim lead in governor's race; Ferguson wins attorney general contest," November 7, 2012
