Mark Maselli and Sheri Zada recall, Benicia Unified School District, California (2021)
| Benicia Unified School District recall |
|---|
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| Officeholders |
Mark Maselli |
| Recall status |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2021 Recalls in California California recall laws School board recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall two of the five members of the Benicia Unified School District board of trustees in California did not go to a vote in 2021. Recall supporters submitted petitions by the deadline, but the Solano County Registrar of Voters found that the number of signatures was insufficient for the recall to be put on the ballot.[1][2]
The recall effort began in February 2021. Area 1 representative Sheri Zada and Area 4 representative Mark Maselli were named in the notices of intent to recall. Recall supporters had 120 days to collect 3,915 signatures per board member.[3]
Recall supporters said the two board members' actions had negative consequences on students and that they failed to represent their constituents. Zada said the school board had to make difficult decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic and that they relied on guidance from health experts as well as state and county regulations.[4]
Zada and Maselli both held terms that were scheduled to end in 2022.[2]
To read about other recall efforts related to the coronavirus and government responses to the pandemic, click here.
Recall supporters
The notices of intent to recall said that Zada and Maselli failed to represent their constituents and denied and rationed student access to schools, staff, and services. They also said that the board members' actions "are having undeniably profound and negative consequences on students."[4]
Recall opponents
In response to the recall effort, Zada said, "During a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic the (Benicia School District) school board had to make difficult decisions. Our decisions are based on health expert guidance, state and county regulations and executive orders. Recalling someone because you don’t like their vote on an issue is irresponsible."[4]
Maselli responded to the effort by saying, "As an educator and board member, I feel a strong responsibility to protect our students, teachers and the community. Investing in educating our kids while ensuring they are kept safe from harm, is our primary concern. Covid-19 has put us all at risk – the risk of infection and the possible risk of death are real."[4]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in California
Recall supporters submitted the notices of intent to recall and the recall petitions to the Solano County Registrar of Voters in March 2021. The county approved the petitions for circulation in April 2021. Recall supporters had 120 days to collect 3,915 signatures per board member. The number of signatures was equal to 20% of registered voters in the school district.[3]
Ballotpedia covered 35 coronavirus-related recall efforts against 94 officials in 2022, accounting for 13% of recalls that year. This is a decrease from both 2020 and 2021. COVID-related recalls accounted for 37% of all recall efforts in both 2020 and 2021. In 2020, there were 87 COVID-related recalls against 89 officials, and in 2021, there were 131 against 214 officials.
The chart below compares coronavirus-related recalls to recalls for all other reasons in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
2021 recall efforts
- See also: School board recalls
Ballotpedia tracked 92 school board recall efforts against 237 board members in 2021. Recall elections against 17 board members were held in 2021. The school board recall success rate was 0.42%.
The chart below details the status of 2021 recall efforts by individual school board member.
See also
- Benicia Unified School District, California
- Recall campaigns in California
- Political recall efforts, 2021
- School board recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Abbey Smith, “Email communication with John Gardner, Solano County Assistant Registrar of Voters," August 24, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Benicia Unified School District, "Governing Board Information," accessed April 26, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 BUSD Recall 2021, "Home," accessed April 26, 2021
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Daily Republic, "Recall effort targets 2 Benicia school trustees; Vaca council may be next," March 12, 2021
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