Jed Welder recall, Sidney Township, Michigan (2021-2022)

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Sidney Township trustee recall
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Officeholders
Jed Welder
Recall status
Recall approved
Recall election date
May 3, 2022
Signature requirement
274 signatures
See also
Recall overview
Political recall efforts, 2022
Recalls in Michigan
Michigan recall laws
City council recalls
Recall reports

Voters elected Erik Benko and recalled Trustee Jed Welder in a special election held on May 3, 2022, in Sidney Township, Michigan.[1]

The Democratic Party declined to nominate a candidate to run against Welder, a Republican, in the special recall election. The filing deadline for candidates to run without a party affiliation passed on February 28, 2022.[2][3][4]

The Montcalm County Election Commission approved a recall petition for circulation on November 12, 2021, after rejecting two previous versions of the petition.[5][6][7]

Recall vote

General election

Special general election for Sidney Township Board of Trustees At-large

Erik Benko defeated incumbent Jed Welder and Scott Giddings (Unofficially withdrew) in the special general election for Sidney Township Board of Trustees At-large on May 3, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Erik Benko (Independent)
 
63.6
 
389
Jed Welder (R)
 
32.0
 
196
Scott Giddings (Independent) (Unofficially withdrew)
 
4.4
 
27

Total votes: 612
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Recall supporters

Approved petition language

The election commission approved the following petition language: "On July 5th, 2021, Sidney Township Trustee Jed Welder voted nay on the Sidney Township Wind Energy Ordinance, no. 2021-01."[8]

Rejected petition language

Resident Jeffrey Lodholtz filed a recall petition on September 27, 2021. The text of that initial recall petition appears below.[2]

Recall opponents

Welder offered the following comment on the recall campaign to Daily News.[4]

I’ve lived here all my life. As a landowner and parent, I want to keep Sidney a great place to raise a family. I have the experience as a veteran and a small business owner to be an effective board member. I work hard every day on our farm and I work just as hard at the township to make sure everyone’s voice is heard. ...

These endless recalls by an anti-wind group that is being advised by lawyers and groups from out of state are troubling. There are currently nine county and township elected officials being targeted by these groups. In our community we should welcome differences of opinion, but being recalled over a vote does not promote freedom of speech or good governance. I can’t say it any better than Judge Simon did: I don’t know how this works.[9]

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing recall in Michigan

The Montcalm County Election Commission approved a recall petition for circulation on November 12, 2021, after rejecting two previous versions of the petition.[5]

According to the election commission, organizers needed to collect 274 signatures from Sidney Township voters for a recall election to be scheduled. Signatures remained valid for 60 days.[5] Lodholtz submitted 370 signatures on January 20, 2022.[10]

After 306 signatures were certified as valid, the recall election was scheduled for May 3, 2022.[3]

See also

External links

Footnotes