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Connie Shell recall, Crawford, Nebraska (2021)
| Crawford Mayoral recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| Recall election date |
| January 5, 2021 |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2020 Recalls in Nebraska Nebraska recall laws Mayoral recalls Recall reports |
An effort in Crawford, Nebraska, to recall Mayor Connie Shell was initiated in July 2020. Recall organizers submitted enough signatures to put the recall on the ballot.[1][2] The recall election was held on January 5, 2021, and Shell retained her position.[3]
Recall vote
Connie Shell recall, 2021
Connie Shell won the Mayor of Crawford recall election on January 5, 2021.
Recall Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
Yes |
42.6
|
141 | |||
| ✔ | No |
57.4
|
190 | ||
Total Votes |
331 | ||||
|
|
Recall supporters
The recall effort was organized by Crawford resident Carl Burrous. Petition language accused Shell of not having the community's best interest in mind, being self-serving, and making threats against members of the Crawford Chamber of Commerce.[1][2][3]
Recall opponents
Shell responded to the recall effort, saying she aimed to balance the needs of the town with the town's budget. She cited an open door policy as helping her to work with boards and employees to provide the best service to the community. Shell denied the accusations that she threatened lawsuits against the chamber of commerce.[1][2][3]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Nebraska
No specific grounds are required for recall in Nebraska.[4] The number of signatures required to put the recall on the ballot depends on the office type. A majority of offices require signatures equal to 35% of the total vote cast for that office in the last general election.[5] Petition signatures must be filed within 30 days of the filing clerk issuing the petitions.[6]
Recall organizers filed an affidavit to begin circulating petitions on July 9, 2020. Petitioners were required to submit 133 valid signatures to put the recall election on the ballot. Dawes County Clerk Cheryl Feist said that signatures were submitted on August 31, 2020, with 138 signatures being found valid.[1][2][3]
At the time of the 2024 recall effort against Mayor Tom Phillips, Feist was notified notified by the office of the Nebraska secretary of state that she had been incorrectly calculating the signature requirement for recalls. The 35% figure should have applied to all votes cast in the previous election, not just for the winning candidate. That miscalculation affected the 2021 recall against Shell.[7]
See also
- Recall campaigns in Nebraska
- Political recall efforts, 2021
- Political recall efforts, 2020
- Mayoral recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The Chadron Record, "Crawford mayor faces January recall election," September 30, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 News Channel Nebraska, "Crawford Mayor to Face Recall Election in January," September 23, 2020
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 News Channel Nebraska, "Crawford voters elect to keep mayor," January 13, 2021
- ↑ Nebraska Legislature, "Nebraska Revised Statute 32-1304," accessed May 27, 2021
- ↑ Nebraska Legislature, "Nebraska Revised Statute 32-1303," accessed October 16, 2023
- ↑ Nebraska Legislature, "Nebraska Revised Statute 32-1305," accessed October 16, 2023
- ↑ KCSR / KBPY, "More Signatures Needed Than Originally Thought In Crawford Recall Attempt," January 29, 2024
