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Kirstin Shapiro recall, Regional School Unit 21, Maine (2024)
| Regional School Unit 21 recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| Recall election date |
| December 17, 2024 |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2024 Recalls in Maine Maine recall laws School board recalls Recall reports |
A recall election against Kirstin Shapiro, member of the Regional School Unit 21 Board of School Directors in Maine, was held on December 17, 2024. Shapiro resigned from her position on November 14, 2024, but because it was after the withdrawal deadline, the recall election was still held. Voters were asked if they authorized the recall of Shapiro and had the option to vote yes or no.[1][2][3] A majority of voters cast yes ballots, approving the recall.[4]
The recall effort started in October 2024 during stalled contract negotiations between the school board and the Kennebunk Arundel Kennebunkport Educators’ Association. Teachers started the 2024-2025 school year without a contract as their former contract expired on August 31, 2024. At the time the recall began, Shapiro was serving as a member of the committee representing the school district in the negotiations.[5]
On November 8, 2024, the board of school directors voted 9-3 to censure Shapiro for her behavior and misconduct during a meeting on September 19, 2024.[6][7]
Two members of the board of school directors were included in recall efforts in 2022. One of those went to a recall election that was rejected by voters. Click here to read more about that effort.
Recall vote
Kirstin Shapiro recall, 2024
Kirstin Shapiro lost the Regional School Unit 21 Board of Directors Town of Arundel recall election on December 17, 2024.
Recall Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✖ | Yes |
98.3
|
171 | ||
No |
1.7
|
3 | |||
Total Votes |
174 | ||||
|
|
Recall supporters
The recall effort was started by Arundel resident Dorothy Gregoire. Gregoire said that Shapiro's behavior caused a loss of confidence in her judgment and her ability to serve on the board. Gregoire also said that Shapiro had violated the school board's policies on handling complaints.[5]
Recall opponents
Shapiro said she had upheld her oath of office.[6] Shapiro said that censuring her or removing her from office sent the following message to elected officials: “Don’t speak up, don’t advocate for students, don’t follow or enforce the rules, because if the rules frustrate people, then they will come for you and even your family relentlessly.”[7]
Shapiro said she had expected that participating in contract negotiations would be challenging. “What I did not anticipate was that my commitment to education and to this community would be seen as negative,” she said. “This past year, I have witnessed and received more harassment than I care to recall on social media, in public meetings, and through a barrage of emails sent to the district. My family, understandably, does not feel safe.”[6]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Maine
No specific grounds are required for recall in Maine. The recall of local officials in Maine is governed by local charters. Because of this, recall laws regarding signature requirements and circulation time vary by locality.[8]
To get the recall against Shapiro on the ballot, recall supporters had to collect 231 signatures in 14 days. The signatures were equal to 10% of registered voters in the town of Arundel who cast ballots in the state's 2022 gubernatorial election.[5] Recall supporters submitted the signatures in early October, and the Arundel Town Clerk verified on October 15, 2024, that enough signatures had been submitted to put the recall on the ballot. The Arundel Select Board had 10 days to schedule the recall election.[9] The board scheduled it for December 17, 2024.[1]
2024 recall efforts
- See also: School board recalls
Ballotpedia tracked 40 school board recall efforts against 83 board members in 2024. Recall elections in 2024 removed 14 members from office, including three who resigned before the election, and retained seven members in office. The school board recall success rate was 13.4%.
The chart below details the status of 2024 recall efforts by individual school board member.
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
- Regional School Unit 21, Maine
- Regional School Unit 21, Maine, elections
- Art LeBlanc and Tim Stentiford recall, Regional School Unit 21, Maine (2021-2022)
- Recall campaigns in Maine
- Political recall efforts, 2024
- School board recalls
- States that allow school board recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Abbey Smith, “Email communication with Rachel Bull, Arundel Town Clerk," November 4, 2024
- ↑ Portsmouth Herald, "RSU 21 School Board member Kirstin Shapiro resigns following censure," November 18, 2024
- ↑ Abbey Smith, “Email communication with Rachel Bull, Arundel Town Clerk," November 26, 2024
- ↑ Portsmouth Herald, "Arundel voters recall ex-RSU 21 board member Kirstin Shapiro despite resignation," December 17, 2024
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Portsmith Herald, "Recall effort targets RSU 21 School Board member Kirstin Shapiro over 'outbursts,'" October 2, 2024
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Portsmouth Herald, "RSU 21 School Board censures Kirstin Shapiro for outburst: 'Students were watching,'" November 8, 2024
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Portland Press Herald, "School board censures member over ‘outbursts,’" November 12, 2024
- ↑ Maine Municipal Association, "Local Government in Maine," August 1, 2016
- ↑ Portsmouth Herald, "RSU 21 board member Kirstin Shapiro faces recall: Petitioner urges resignation," October 15, 2024
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