Mike Seminary recall, Bismarck, North Dakota (2017)
| Bismarck recall |
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| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2017 Recalls in North Dakota North Dakota recall laws Mayoral recalls Recall reports |
An effort in Bismarck, North Dakota, to recall Mayor Mike Seminary from his position was launched in January 2017. Recall organizers submitted petition language to the North Dakota secretary of state for review on January 12, 2017.[1] The petition was approved for circulation on January 19, 2017.[2] Organizers submitted approximately 2,500 signatures to city officials on April 18, 2017.[3] City officials announced that the recall effort fell short of the required signatures on May 18, 2017.[4][5]
Charles Tuttle, a signature gatherer for the recall effort, filed a motion on June 9, 2017, to challenge the city's decision on the recall. The signatures Tuttle gathered for the recall were ruled invalid because of uncertainty about his residency status in the city.[6] The challenge was dismissed without a hearing due to technical errors with Tuttle's motion.[7]
Recall supporters
Better Leadership for a Better Bismarck listed the following reasons for pursuing a recall on its website:
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Misplaced public leadership priorities. Ignoring public infrastructure needs to the point of creating a public financing crisis. Pursuing private benefit policies that reduce tax revenue to the city at the cost of taxpayers. Abdicating fiduciary responsibility by allowing city property to be sold at a loss and below market value.
Bismarck City Commission agreed to sell the downtown Public Health Building below market value at a loss, but city officials say the purchase was proper. |
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| —Better Leadership for a Better Bismarck, (2017) | ||
Recall opponents
Seminary responded to the recall effort during an event on January 26, 2017, arguing that the Bismarck Event Center renovation required no additional public funding following the building's sale. He also said that the city was using economic incentives created by the state legislature to improve infrastructure.[10] On April 20, 2017, Seminary said that he would run to keep his seat if a recall election takes place.[11]
The Bismarck Tribune published the following editorial opposing the recall effort on January 22, 2017:
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An effort to recall Bismarck Mayor Mike Seminary seems based on old complaints and targets a mayor with less than 18 months to go in office. If recall supporters are so unhappy with his performance why did they wait so long to launch their effort? Why try to replace a mayor with so little time left in his term? Whoever wins will have to face voters again in June 2018. For those reasons alone the Tribune believes the recall isn’t necessary. Seminary was in his second term as a city commissioner when he ran unchallenged for mayor. He also ran uncontested for his second city commission term. By the time he ran for mayor his positions on the issues were well known. If residents weren’t satisfied with his performance it’s unfortunate they couldn’t find a candidate to challenge him. The Tribune doesn’t question the right to mount a recall, but it would seem a process best used when a grievous act is committed. The criticism of Seminary isn’t new and doesn’t go beyond the ordinary conflicts of serving in office. 'They have issues with misplaced public leadership priorities, ignoring public infrastructure needs to the point of creating a public finance crisis and allowing city property to be sold at a loss and below market value,' Paul Maloney, a spokesman for the recall group, told the Tribune. He cited the below-value sale of the Bismarck Burleigh medical building and the renovation of the then Bismarck Civic Center after the public voted against it as other factors in the recall effort. Others complained about Seminary welcoming the Dakota Access Pipeline protesters to Bismarck during the powwow week in early September. The mayor later told protesters it was time to go home. The recall petition has been approved by the secretary of state. Organizers will need to collect about 1,898 signatures to get on the ballot. That’s 25 percent of the number of people who voted in the last mayoral race. They also need at least one challenger on the ballot. The Tribune urges Seminary’s opponents to rethink the recall. Use the next months preparing a mayoral campaign for 2018. When issues arise where you disagree with the mayor, make yourselves heard at commission meetings. You can make a difference without trying to remove the mayor from office. Why spend money on a special election this year when another election is around the corner? The Tribune hasn’t always agreed with the mayor and we don’t expect to agree with him all the time in the remaining months of his term. However, we don’t believe his actions merit a recall.[12][9] |
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| —The Bismarck Tribune, (2017) | ||
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in North Dakota
Recall supporters needed to gather and submit at least 1,898 signatures from voters living in Bismarck to force a special election. The city administrator's office announced that organizers submitted 1,738 valid signatures and 667 invalid signatures.[1][5]
Recent news
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See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Dickinson Press, "Unhappy with Bismarck mayor, group starts recall petition," January 12, 2017
- ↑ KFYR, "Petition to recall Bismarck mayor Mike Seminary moves forward," January 19, 2017
- ↑ The Bismarck Tribune, "Signatures submitted for mayoral recall," April 18, 2017
- ↑ Bismarck Tribune, "BCI agents investigate Bismarck mayoral recall petitions," May 14, 2017
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 KFGO, "No recall election for Bismarck Mayor," May 18, 2017
- ↑ KFYR, "Bismarck mayor recall results being challenged," June 9, 2017
- ↑ MyNDNow, "Judge Denies Motion from Man Seeking to Recall Bismarck Mayor," June 19, 2017
- ↑ Better Leadership for a Better Bismarck, "Our Mission," accessed January 16, 2017
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ The Bismarck Tribune, "Mayor provides answers to critics' accusations," January 27, 2017
- ↑ The Bismarck Tribune, "Recall election won't deter Bismarck mayor," April 20, 2017
- ↑ The Bismarck Tribune, "Time to drop recall effort against mayor," January 22, 2017
