Don Townsend recall, Dade County, Georgia (2025)
| Don Townsend recall |
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| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2025 Recalls in Georgia Georgia recall laws County official recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall Dade County Executive Don Townsend is underway in Georgia. The recall effort was launched by Coy Williams, Jr. On September 5, 2025, the Dade County Board of Elections rejected the recall application for "filing errors and lack of notarization."[1] Recall organizers now have until September 22, 2025, to submit a corrected application signed by at least 100 voters.[1]
Recall supporters
Recall organizer Coy Williams said the following regarding his attempt to recall Townsend: “I think it’s important because elected officials need to remember why and who they are elected for and who pays their salaries.” Williams added that the recall was in response to a proposal to build a new elections building in the county.[2][3]
Recall opponents
Townsend said the following in response to the recall application: "My focus remains where it belongs; on serving the people of Dade County with integrity, ensuring compliance with election law and providing secure, efficient, and cost responsible facilities for the future." He added that the accusations in the recall application "do not align with his record, actions or responsibilities as County Executive."[3]
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.[4] 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.[5][6]
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
- Dade County, Georgia
- Recall campaigns in Georgia
- Political recall efforts, 2025
- County official recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Mountain-Valley Independent, "Dade County Board Of Elections Rejected The Recall Application Targeting Dade County Executive Don Townsend For Filing Errors And lack Of Notarization," September 8, 2025
- ↑ Trenton Daily News, "Dade County Citizen Seeking 100 Signatures To Recall Townsend," August 21, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Mountain-Valley Independent, "Dade Executive Says The Accusations leveled In The Recall Application Do Not Align With His Record, Actions Or Responsibilities," August 27, 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
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