John Anderson recall, Belvidere Township, Michigan (2022-2023)
| John Anderson recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| Recall election date |
| May 2, 2023 |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2023 Recalls in Michigan Michigan recall laws Mayoral recalls Recall reports |
An election to recall Township Supervisor John Anderson was scheduled for May 2, 2023, in Belvidere Township, Michigan.[1] On January 11, 2023, Anderson resigned from his position as supervisor. The election did not appear on the ballot as a result.[2]
Recall supporters
Township resident Judith Spring initiated the recall process by filing recall petitions against Anderson. The recall petition language, which was approved for circulation on September 16, 2022, appears below:[1]
“On April 13, 2022, during a regular meeting of the Belvidere Township Board, Supervisor John Anderson voted in favor to approve Wind Ordinance 18-4 with the correction, thereby amending the zoning regulations for wind energy systems in Belvedere Township.”
Recall opponents
Anderson offered the following comment on the recall campaign.[1]
“By law I’m required to vote, I have to vote yes or no. ... It’s part of my statutory duty. Why would I vote no on a good ordinance that protects the people? I voted yes on all of those because they’re good ordinances. ... My feeling is that the recall process wasn’t originally intended to be ‘if I don’t get my way I’m going to recall you and get you out of office.’ I don’t think that’s what recall was intended for to me. ... Our board and our Planning Commission … have been above board with all dealings and we have been honest in all dealings.”
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Michigan
A recall petition must first be filed with the appropriate board, which then holds a hearing to determine whether the reason for the petition is "factual" and "clear;" those are the only criteria considered by the board to approve or reject the petition.
Once approved by the board, the petitioner must amass a number of signatures equal to 25 percent of the number of votes cast in the last general election in the electoral district of the officer sought to be recalled.[3] The petitioner has 60 days to collect these signatures beginning on the date the first signature is collected; however, the petition must be submitted no later than 180 days after it was approved by the board. For recall of state officials, the petition is submitted to the Michigan Secretary of State; for local officials, the petition is submitted to the county or township clerk in the county where the official resides.
The Montcalm County Election Commission approved recall petition language for circulation in a hearing on September 16, 2022.[1] On November 21, 2022, Montcalm County Clerk Kristen Millard announced that 411 signatures were submitted, and 358 of these were certified as valid.[4][5]
See also
- Recall campaigns in Michigan
- Political recall efforts, 2023
- Political recall efforts, 2022
- Mayoral recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Daily News, "Recall language petitions approved for Belvidere, Cato township officials," September 17, 2022
- ↑ Daily News, "‘Three curveballs’," January 14, 2023
- ↑ Michigan Legislature, "Michigan Compiled Laws Section 168.955," accessed February 16, 2016
- ↑ The Daily News, "Recall elections expected for Cato, Belvidere townships in May 2023," November 26, 2022
- ↑ Daily News, "Recall signatures certified for township officials," December 21, 2022
