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Josie Sanchez recall, San Benito Health Care District, California (2024)
| San Benito Health Care District recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2024 Recalls in California California recall laws Special district recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall San Benito Health Care District Zone 4 Director Josie Sanchez was initiated on May 20, 2024. Recall supporters have 90 days to gather 2,190 valid signatures in order for the recall to move forward.[1]
Recall supporters
Recall supporters outlined the following reasons for the recall petition:[2]
| “ |
TO THE HONORABLE Josie F. Sanchez: Pursuant to Section 11020, California Elections Code, the undesigned registered qualified voters of San Benito Health Care District Zone 4, in the State of California, hereby give notice that we are the proponents of a recall petition and that we intend to seek your recall and removal from the office of Member of the Board of Directors, Zone 4, of the San Benito Health Care District. The grounds for the recall are as follows: Voting to pay CEO Mary Casillas $450,000.00 per year and an additional $450,000.00 under circumstances the hospital board is actively working to make happen shortly. We all know we must save Hazel Hawkins Hospital. The County Board of Supervisors have offered to help with funds, the hiring of experts that know how to make the hospital healthy and able to accommodate most of our healthcare needs so that you won't have to travel out-of-the-county to get high quality care. But the hospital administration is refusing to work with the San Benito County Board of Supervisors in their efforts to partner and provide assistance to the District to save HHH, and Sanchez and other Board members are not directing them to. Sanchez does not return telephone calls and is not making time to meet with constituents to discuss HHH. Sanchez allows HHH to issue false and misleading press releases, including stating what the public wants based on biased polling questions. Sanchez allows the HHH administration to provide false and misleading information to be filed with the bankruptcy court that attacks members of the public for questioning actions. Not explaining the rationale for voting to sell the hospital to a third party. [3] |
” |
Recall opponents
Sanchez responded to the recall petition as follows:[4]
| “ |
Since 2014, I have had the honor of serving as a director of SBHCD in District 4. My commitment has been to ensure the continued operation of our hospital, serving our community for generations to come. A decision was reached by the board to appoint Mary Casillas as full-time CEO. This strategic move saved the district millions in recruitment fees and signing bonuses, but also an experienced candidate at a cost lower than that of other hospital CEOs in our area. The Board continues to work with the County and its hired consultants as part of our process for saving the hospital and finding an appropriate path forward - accusations of the contrary are false. I do take and return calls from the public. At no time has the District or the hospital issued false statements. We have not submitted attacks about anyone, public or private, to the bankruptey court. This assertion is false. At the time of this statement, the Board has not made a decision on which proposal we feel will give the hospital the best chances for sustaining healthcare in our community. The accusation that I have not explained why I "voted to sell" makes no sense. [3] |
” |
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.[5]
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
- San Benito County, California
- Recall campaigns in California
- Political recall efforts, 2024
- Special district recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 SanBenito.com, "Local politician seeks to recall hospital board member," accessed June 11, 2024
- ↑ County of San Benito Clerk-Recorder, "Notice of Intention to Circulate a Recall Petition," accessed June 11, 2024
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ County of San Benito Clerk-Recorder, "Board Member Josie Sanchez's Response to Petition For Recall from the Board of Directors of the San Benito Health Care District," accessed June 11, 2024
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Recall Procedures Guide 2023," accessed October 16, 2023
