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David Allen and Lesa Rissler recall, Siloam Springs, Arkansas (2023-2024)
| David Allen and Lesa Rissler recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
Lesa Rissler |
| Recall status |
| Signature requirement |
319 for Rissler |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2024 Recalls in Arkansas Arkansas recall laws City council recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall City Directors David Allen and Lesa Rissler did not go to a vote in Siloam Springs, Arkansas.[1]
Allen was re-elected in the general election on November 5, 2024.[2]
Recall supporters
A group of Siloam Springs residents called Unite Siloam said they initiated the recall after the city directors voted 4-3 to terminate former City Administrator Phillip Patterson on March 7, 2023, without giving a reason.[1]
Allen and Rissler both voted to terminate Patterson's contract. The other two "yes" votes were City Directors Ken Wiles and Betsy Blair-Finn. The "no" votes were City Directors Mindy Hunt, Reid Carroll, and Carol Smiley. The minutes from the March 7 meeting can be read here.
Recall opponents
Rissler did not respond to a request for comment from KNWA/FOX24. Allen made the following comment.[1]
| “ |
It’s frustrating to hear about other select small groups that are frustrated for me doing my job. What are you supposed to do? I was elected by the people and I serve at the behest of the people. If the people choose to un-elect me, then so be it. I’ve given my time because I love the city.[3] |
” |
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Arkansas
In Arkansas, the signature requirement for triggering a recall election for a city director is 35% of the ballots cast for all candidates for the office at the last general municipal election during which the officials were elected.
To trigger a recall of Allen, Unite Siloam members needed to collect 1,875 signatures. To trigger a recall of Rissler, they needed to collect 319 signatures.[1]
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
- Recall campaigns in Arkansas
- Political recall efforts, 2023
- Political recall efforts, 2024
- City council recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 KNWA/FOX24, "Petitions to recall two Siloam Springs City Directors," March 28, 2023
- ↑ Decision Desk HQ, "AR Siloam Springs City Council Position 7 General Election," accessed December 10, 2024
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
