Chris Rizzotti recall, Burbank, California (2026)
| Chris Rizzotti recall |
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| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2026 Recalls in California California recall laws City council recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall City Councilmember Chris Rizzotti is underway in Burbank, California.[1]
Recall supporters
Organizers initiated the recall effort after comments Rizzotti made at a December 9, 2025, city council meeting, where he criticized members of the public for speaking negatively about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Rizzotti expressed support for the work of ICE agents, which he said went beyond enforcing immigration laws.
Speaking to the Burbank Leader, recall organizer Danny Kleinman said, "We are living in unprecedented and scary times with the rise of far-right fascism at the federal level and the erosion of democracy and our constitutionally guaranteed rights before our eyes. ICE agents terrorize communities across the country, and detain, kidnap and murder people without due process in violation of their rights. Our federal government, including Congress, encourages and enables this activity, and we have no protection or defense other than the community.”[1]
Recall opponents
Speaking to the Burbank Leader, Rizzotti said, "In terms of the reaction afterward, those who heard my full remarks — or who reviewed the recording — understood the point I was making."
Rizzotti continued, "My comments were intended to highlight that ICE’s role extends beyond immigration enforcement, including efforts to combat serious crimes such as human and child trafficking. At no time did I support or condone violence or the harm of innocent lives. I do not agree with the taking of innocent lives under any circumstances. My position has consistently been that public safety and human dignity must go hand in hand. As for whether I have regrets in light of recent events, my comments never advocated for violent apprehension or harm toward anyone. My intent was to discuss policy and enforcement responsibilities, not to endorse aggression or misconduct."[1]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in California
No specific grounds are required for recall in California. The recall process starts with a notice of intention to recall. The notice must be served to the officer whose recall is being sought as well as published in a newspaper of general circulation. The notice must then be filed with the relevant election office. Once the notice has been deemed sufficient by the election office, a petition must also be filed and approved by the election office. Once the petition is approved, it can be circulated. To get a recall on the ballot, supporters must collect signatures from registered voters in the jurisdiction. The number of signatures required is between 10% and 30% of registered voters in the jurisdiction, depending on the size of the jurisdiction. Jurisdictions with 1,000 registered voters or fewer require 30%, and jurisdictions with 100,000 or more registered voters require 10%. Charter cities can also set their own signature threshold. The amount of time allowed for the circulation of recall petitions also varies by the number of registered voters in a jurisdiction, between 40 and 160 days. Jurisdictions with fewer than 1,000 registered voters allow 40 days, and jurisdictions with more than 50,000 registered voters allow 160 days.[2]
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 2025 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
- Ballotpedia's Recall Report
- Burbank, California
- Recall campaigns in California
- Political recall efforts, 2026
- City council recalls
External links
Footnotes
