David Thompson recall, Walton County, Georgia (2025)
| David Thompson recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2025 Recalls in Georgia Georgia recall laws County commission recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall Walton County Board of Commissioners Chairman David Thompson is underway in Georgia. Gareth Fenley launched the effort on October 2, 2025. Recall organizers must gather 30,000 signatures to get the recall on the ballot.[1]
Recall supporters
Recall organizer Gareth Fenley said the recall attempt initially stemmed from a 19.5% property tax increase approved by the Walton County Board of Commissioners in the summer of 2025. Fenley added: "We have discovered conflicts of interest between Mr. Thompson’s properties and votes he has taken."[1]
Recall opponents
Thompson commented at a local meeting, “I am not resigning, and I will fight a recall." He added: "“I never promised anyone I would not raise the millage rate...I am proud of what I’ve achieved and I’m proud of what this county has achieved. I’m not going anywhere. They’ve got to have a legal reason for any recall. They’re attacking my character.”[1]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Georgia
Georgia allows the following grounds for recall: conducted himself or herself in a manner that adversely affects the administration of his or her office and adversely affects the rights and interests of the public; malfeasance while in office; violated his or her oath of office; misconduct; failure to perform duties prescribed by law; and willfully misused, converted, or misappropriated, without authority, public property or public funds entrusted to or associated with the elective office to which the official has been elected or appointed.[2] To get the recall on the ballot, supporters must collect signatures equal to 30% of the number of electors who were registered and qualified to vote in the preceding election for that office. Signatures must be collected within 90 days.[3][4]
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
- Ballotpedia's Recall Report
- Walton County, Georgia
- Recall campaigns in Georgia
- Political recall efforts, 2025
- County commission recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Your Local News - Monroe, "Historic recall effort in Walton County targets BOC chairman," October 6, 2025
- ↑ 2022 Georgia Code, "§ 21-4-3 (2022)," accessed October 16, 2023
- ↑ 2022 Georgia Code, "§ 21-4-4 (2022)," accessed October 16, 2023
- ↑ 2022 Georgia Code, "§ 21-4-11 (2022)," accessed October 16, 2023
.svg.png){kind=small}
