Janice Cader Thompson recall, Petaluma, California (2025)
| Janice Cader Thompson recall |
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| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2025 Recalls in California California recall laws City council recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall District 1 Councilmember Janice Cader Thompson is underway in Petaluma, California.[1]
Recall supporters
In a letter read at the July 7, 2025 Petaluma City Council meeting, recall organizer John Hanania alleged that Cader Thompson showed "a pattern of dismissive conduct during public meetings," and "disregard for both colleagues and community input."[2]
Recall opponents
In a letter to the editor of the Petaluma Argus-Courier, Teresa Barrett, David Glass, and Pamela Torliatt, former mayors of Petaluma, wrote:[1]
| “ |
As former elected officials, we understand firsthand the time, energy, and personal sacrifice it takes to serve a community — often for little or no compensation. In the case of Council member Janice Cader Thompson, she receives just $20 a month plus benefits for her role, yet has shown unwavering dedication to the City of Petaluma and her constituents. Council member Cader Thompson has worked tirelessly to represent her district and advocate for thoughtful policies that benefit the entire community. We strongly support her continued service and leadership. We are deeply concerned by the current recall effort against her, which is not only unwarranted but also fiscally irresponsible. A special recall election would cost Petaluma taxpayers a significant amount of money — resources that could be better spent on public services, infrastructure, or programs that directly support our residents. Even more troubling is the fact that the main sponsor of this recall, John Hanania, does not live in Council member Cader Thompson’s district. With the next regular election just 12 months away, a recall at this time is unnecessary, disruptive, and costly. We urge Petaluma voters: Save our community money. Support good governance. Do not sign the recall petition.[3] |
” |
Speaking to the Petaluma Argus-Courier, Cader Thompson said she doesn't make decisions based on whether she's going to get recalled, and focuses on what she believes is best for the city.[2]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in California
No specific grounds are required for recall in California. The recall process starts with a notice of intention to recall. The notice must be served to the officer whose recall is being sought as well as published in a newspaper of general circulation. The notice must then be filed with the relevant election office. Once the notice has been deemed sufficient by the election office, a petition must also be filed and approved by the election office. Once the petition is approved, it can be circulated. To get a recall on the ballot, supporters must collect signatures from registered voters in the jurisdiction. The number of signatures required is between 10% and 30% of registered voters in the jurisdiction, depending on the size of the jurisdiction. Jurisdictions with 1,000 registered voters or fewer require 30%, and jurisdictions with 100,000 or more registered voters require 10%. Charter cities can also set their own signature threshold. The amount of time allowed for the circulation of recall petitions also varies by the number of registered voters in a jurisdiction, between 40 and 160 days. Jurisdictions with fewer than 1,000 registered voters allow 40 days, and jurisdictions with more than 50,000 registered voters allow 160 days.[4]
The deadline to collect signatures is December 15, 2025.
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
- Petaluma, California
- Recall campaigns in California
- Political recall efforts, 2025
- City council recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Petaluma Argus-Courier, "Letters to the Petaluma Argus-Courier, Sept. 26, 2025," accessed September 23, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Petaluma Argus-Courier, "Attempt to recall Petaluma City Council member Janice Cader Thompson off to rocky start," accessed September 24, 2025
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Recall Procedures Guide 2023," accessed October 16, 2023
