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Candidate filing deadline passes for first batch of Wisconsin recalls
This article covering 2011 recall elections was written outside the scope of Ballotpedia's encyclopedic coverage and does not fall under our neutrality policy or style guidelines. It is preserved as it was originally written.
June 14, 2011
By Geoff Pallay and Greg Janetka
The deadline for candidates wishing to run in the six Republican recall elections ordered for July 12 was 5 p.m. CST today.
According to a GAB file (dead link) published just after 5 p.m. CST, a total of 15 individuals filed nomination papers before the deadline. Candidates were required to submit petitions with at least 400 valid signatures to the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board in order to make the ballot. The deadline for challenges to these petitions will be at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 17.
The 15 potential candidates who filed papers with the GAB are:[1]
District 2
- Otto Junkermann (D)
- Nancy Nusbaum (D)
- Mert Summers (D)
District 8
- Gladys Huber (D)
- Sandy Pasch (D)
- Nicholas Brehm (D)
District 10
- Shelly Moore (D)
- Isaac Weix (D)
District 14
- Rol Church (D)
- Fred Clark (D)
- Robert Forseth (D)
District 18
- Jessica King (D)
- John Buckstaff (D)
District 32
- Jennifer Shilling (D)
- James Smith (D)
Additionally, there are two individuals -- John Michael Curry and BJ Cook -- who filed a declaration of candidacy but did not file nomination papers before the deadline elapsed.
It appears as if Democratic-placeholders were submitted in only three of the six recall districts.
Once GAB details which candidates submitted sufficient, validated signatures, a clearer image will be known of which races will have primaries on July 12 and which might ultimately have the recall election itself.
Supreme Court Ruling
Today the State Supreme Court upheld the collective bargaining law, abandoning a prior lower court ruling by Judge Maryann Sumi.[2] Sumi struck down the law in a May 26, 2011 ruling, stating that the GOP lawmakers violated the state’s open meeting law when they passed the legislation on March 9, 2011.[3]
The introduction and ultimate passage of the legislation is what triggered the recalls in the first place -- of Democrats for fleeing to Illinois and of Republicans for bringing forth the bill itself.
Hansen rally
Dave Hansen officially kicked off his bid to defeat recall, holding a rally on June 11 that drew hundreds in Green Bay. He is being opposed by current state Assemblyman John Nygren and the leader of the recall campaign, David VanderLeest. The two Republicans are expected to face off in a primary on July 19 to decide who will advance to the general election on August 16. Hansen said he normally uses the summer to meet with constituents, but is beginning earlier this year. "Summer elections are extremely rare if ever in Wisconsin--July, August, so it's a different day," he said.[4] While Hansen held his rally, VanderLeest spent part of his day campaigning at Copper Fest in Oconto. In regards to the primary, VanderLeest said, "I think it's only good for the people of Northeast Wisconsin to have choices."[5]
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, “All candidates registered for 07.12.2011,” June 14, 2011 (dead link)
- ↑ Wall Street Journal “Wisconsin Supreme Court Upholds Collective-Bargaining Law,” June 14, 2011
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “Dane County judge strikes down collective bargaining law,” May 26, 2011
- ↑ FOX 11, “Recall election campaigning underway,” June 11, 2011
- ↑ WTAQ, “Recall campaigns kickoff Saturday in 30th District,” June 12, 2011
