Elizabeth Jones recall, Pilot Point, Texas (2024)
| Elizabeth Jones recall |
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| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2024 Recalls in Texas Texas recall laws City council recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall Place 4 City Councilwoman Elizabeth Jones did not go to a vote in Pilot Point, Texas.[1]
Recall supporters
The recall petition was submitted by Pilot Point resident Kelley Burgess. According to the petition, the reasons for the recall effort were, "Elizabeth Jones committed two acts of misconduct by accepting payment from the city for the use of her venue, Lizzy Gator’s Venue (aka Lizzy Gator’s, LLC) conducting business at 12222 Massey Rd, Pilot Point, TX 76258 (see attached invoices). This abuse of her office is a gross act of misconduct and a violation of her fiduciary duties to the taxpayers of our city. She has lost the confidence and the trust of the citizens of Pilot Point because of her clear conflict of interest and abuse of position as a member of our city council."[2][3]
Recall opponents
In a letter from Lance Pierce, which was read at the June 27, 2024, meeting of the Pilot Point City Council, Pierce wrote, "There is nothing in the section that forbids a council person from conducting fair business with the city," and "Money, being a resource used for payment of services that are customary, incidental or lawfully available to the public is expressly permitted in the charter."[1]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Texas
No specific grounds are required for recall in Texas. The recall of local officials in Texas is governed by local charters. Because of this, recall laws regarding signature requirements and circulation time vary by locality.[4]
In Pilot Point, recall organizers need to gather signatures equal to 25% "of the number of votes cast for the place or position held by that member of the City Council in the last general municipal election, for that place or position."[5]
On June 27, 2024, the city council voted 5-1-1 against calling a recall election. Jones abstained from the vote. Mayor Pro Tem Andrew Ambrosio said, "I don’t think council can call an election when there is legal stuff way above us that needs to be decided, and that’s why I think it needs to go to a judge."[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
- Ballotpedia's Recall Report
- Pilot Point, Texas
- Recall campaigns in Texas
- Political recall efforts, 2024
- City council recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Post-Signal, "Pilot Point City Council refuses to call recall election," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ Dallas Express, "Is Pilot Point Targeting a Citizen for Exercising Their 1st Amendment Right?" August 13, 2024
- ↑ CBS News, "Pilot Point sues, settles with resident who tried to recall city council member," August 15, 2024
- ↑ San Antonio Express-News, "Unusual ballot features Fredericksburg councilman as recall target and mayoral contender," May 3, 2012
- ↑ eCode360, "§ 6.02 Petions for Recall," accessed July 23, 2024
