Neal Watkins recall, Iowa, Louisiana (2024)
| Neal Watkins recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2024 Recalls in Louisiana Louisiana recall laws Mayoral recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall Mayor Neal Watkins did not go to a vote in Iowa, Louisiana. Recall organizers did not submit signatures by the deadline.[1]
Recall supporters
The recall effort was organized by Joey Mathis and Dale Romero.[2]
Recall opponents
Watkins provided American Press a statement on the recall effort:[2]
| “ |
They’re saying the lack of transparency as if we are hiding something. Our laws and procedures for the town do not allow us to do such things. Anything that I do that has to do with money, anything to do with money, ordinances, anything that we do, the Council has to vote on it. I can’t sign a check. I can’t enter a contract. This all requires the approval of the Council.[3] |
” |
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Louisiana
No specific grounds are required for recall in Louisiana. The recall process starts by filing a copy of the recall petition with the Louisiana Secretary of State. The number of signatures required on the petition depends on the size of the jurisdiction, with the smallest jurisdictions (fewer than 1,000 eligible voters) requiring signatures equal to 40% of eligible voters in the jurisdiction and the largest jurisdictions (100,000 or more eligible voters) requiring signatures equal to 20% of eligible voters in the jurisdiction.[4] Recall supporters have 180 days to circulate petitions.[5]
Recall organizers filed petition paperwork on June 13, 2024.[6] Petitioners were required to submit at least 604 valid signatures to put the recall on the ballot.[7]
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
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Ballotpedia staff, "Phone communication with Calcasieu Parish Directors of Elections Office," December 12, 2024
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 American Press, "Recall petition circulating for Iowa mayor," July 14, 2024
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Louisiana State Legislature, "House Bill 54," accessed February 5, 2019
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Recall an Elected Official," accessed February 17, 2023
- ↑ American Press, "Recall petition circulating for Iowa mayor," June 17, 2024
- ↑ KPLC, "Petition filed to recall Iowa’s mayor," June 14, 2024
