Pam Bakken recall, South St. Paul, Minnesota (2025)
| Pam Bakken recall |
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| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2025 Recalls in Minnesota Minnesota recall laws City council recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall City Councilwoman Pam Bakken did not go to a vote in South St. Paul, Minnesota. Organizers announced on April 29, 2025, that they were not continuing the recall effort.[1][2]
Recall supporters
Recall organizers have given concerns about child safety, public trust, and accountability as reasons for the recall effort. The effort was initiated following the suspension of Bakken's daycare license after a child allegedly consumed methamphetamine while at her home daycare.[1]
Recall opponents
Bakken did not respond to a request for comment by KARE 11. She has said, "Every adult who encountered the child at my home volunteered to take a hair follicle drug test, and those results were negative, and at no point were drugs found in my home."[1][3] The Dakota County Attorney's Office did not file charges against Bakken.[4]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Minnesota
Minnesota allows the following grounds for recall: serious malfeasance or nonfeasance during the term of office in the performance of the duties of the office or conviction during the term of office of a serious crime. To get the recall on the ballot, supporters must file signatures equal to 25% of the total votes cast for the position at the last election.[5] Recall supporters have 90 days to circulate petitions.[6]
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
- South St. Paul, Minnesota
- Recall campaigns in Minnesota
- Political recall efforts, 2025
- City council recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 KARE 11, "Effort to recall South St. Paul council member growing as newly formed group collects petition signatures," April 16, 2025
- ↑ Facebook, "Recall Bakken," accessed June 10, 2025
- ↑ KSTP, "Dakota County Attorney reviewing case where 3-year-old ingested meth," April 21, 2025
- ↑ KSTP, "South St. Paul Councilwoman Won’t Face Charges in Day Care Meth Case – KSL Test," April 30, 2025
- ↑ Minnesota Constitution, "Article VIII," accessed October 16, 2023
- ↑ 2022 Minnesota Statutes, "211C.06 ISSUING, CIRCULATING, AND VERIFYING PETITION." accessed October 16, 2023
