Mayor and city council recall, Payson, Arizona (2019)
| Payson Mayor and City Council recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
Suzy Tubbs-Avakian Janell Sterner Jim Ferris Steve Smith Barbara Underwood Chris Higgins |
| Recall status |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2019 Recalls in Arizona Arizona recall laws Mayoral recalls City council recalls Recall reports |
Efforts in Payson, Arizona, to recall Mayor Tom Morrissey and Councilmembers Suzy Tubbs-Avakian, Janell Sterner, Jim Ferris, Steve Smith, Barbara Underwood, and Chris Higgins were initiated in 2019.[1][2]
Recall organizers turned in signatures against Morrissey on September 3. The signatures were verified the week of September 16.[3] After a legal challenge by Morrissey, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled on December 6, 2019, that petitioners didn't gather enough signatures because recall organizers based the number of required signatures on the wrong election.[4]
Recall efforts against the city councilmembers were dropped after the groups involved in organizing the recall efforts didn't turn in any signatures by the December deadlines. Recall organizers in the effort against Smith said the had enough signatures to move the recall forward.[5]
Recall supporters
The recall effort against Morrissey, Suzy Tubbs-Avakian, Sterner, and Ferris were initiated in response to their vote in favor of firing Town Manager LaRon Garrett.[6]
Smith was later targeted for recall over accusations that he "has created animosity and discord at every Payson council meeting in the attempt to disrupt new motions and progress."[2]
Recall opponents
Morrissey responded to the recall effort after the signatures against him were certified. He said, "I have no intention of resigning. The recall group consists of a small group of folks who lost the election and are bitter, and some folks who lost political control of the town and want it back. I am working for and will continue to work for all the residents of this town."[3]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Arizona
Petitioners needed 770 valid signatures to put the recall against Morrissey on the ballot. There were 974 signatures handed in for review in the Morrissey recall.[1]
The signature requirement for recalls against each council member was 1,653 valid signatures per member. Recall organizers had 120 days after petitions are filed to gather signatures.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Payson Roundup, "Unrest in Payson over recall effort," September 6, 2019
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Payson Roundup, "Recall launched against Steve Smith," September 3, 2019
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Payson Roundup, "Mayor’s recall certified," September 24, 2019
- ↑ AZ Mirror, "Supreme Court backs Payson mayor, settles unanswered recall question," December 9, 2019
- ↑ Payson Roundup, "Payson Town Council recall efforts end," December 20, 2019
- ↑ Payson Roundup, "Payson group launches recall against mayor and three council members," August 16, 2019
