Robin Vos recall, Wisconsin State Assembly (2024)
| Rep. Robin Vos recall |
|---|
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| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2024 Recalls in Wisconsin Wisconsin recall laws State legislative recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall Robin Vos (R) from his position representing District 63 in the Wisconsin State Assembly was launched on March 27, 2024. Supporters of the recall had until May 28, 2024, to collect 6,850 signatures to require a recall election.[1] Proponents of the recall submitted over 9,000 signatures before the deadline.[2] The staff at the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) verified on June 25 that the recall committee submitted 6,866 valid signatures — 16 more than necessary.[3]
The commission met on June 27 and, in a 4-2 vote, found that the petition was insufficient. The petition was dismissed because Wisconsin recalls must be submitted within 60 days of registration. Since the 60th day fell on a Sunday and the Monday was a holiday, the final day to submit signatures was Tuesday, May 28. The commission ruled that the signatures collected on May 27 and May 28 could not be counted as they were not within the 60-day period. As a result, recall supporters did not gather enough valid signatures to trigger a recall election.[4][5] On July 5, 2024, recall supporters filed an appeal in court against the commission's ruling.[6] Dane County judge Stephen Ehlke rejected the appeal on July 9.[7] On August 27, the Wisconsin Supreme Court rejected a request from recall supporters to hear their case.[8]
This recall marked the second petition filed against Vos this year. The first recall petition was initiated on January 10, with a deadline set for March 11. Supporters failed to gather sufficient signatures to trigger a recall election.[9][10][11] On March 12, 2024, the Wisconsin Elections Commission staff determined in their initial assessment that the first recall attempt lacked sufficient signatures from residents within the district where Vos was elected to when the recall process was initiated. The organizers fell short by approximately 945 signatures.[12] A final review of the first recall found that 4,989 valid signatures were collected from the old Assembly District 63, 3,053 valid signatures from the new Assembly District 33, and 5,472 valid signatures from the new Assembly District 66.[13]
In December 2023, the Wisconsin Supreme Court determined that the new state legislative boundary maps were unconstitutional and deemed ineligible for future electoral use.[14] In February 2024, Gov. Tony Evers (D) signed off on new legislative maps, stipulating that they would not come into effect until the November election.[15] The commission asked the state Supreme Court to clarify if the old or new district boundaries should be used in the recall effort.[16] On April 3, 2024, the court declined to clarify which maps should be used in a potential recall against Vos.[17]
Vos was elected to the state Assembly in 2004 and was re-elected in 2022 with 73% of the vote. He was elected as speaker of the state Assembly in 2013.
Recall supporters
First recall petition
Matthew Snorek filed the first recall petition on January 10, 2024. The recall petition listed the following reasons for recall:[18]
| “ |
Vos is blocking fair elections in WI. Vos mislead the WI Assembly in the impeachment of Megan Wolfe. Vos said he will "try as hard as I can to make sure Donald Trump is not the nominee in 2024." Vos supported the unlawful drop boxes. Wisconsin must move "Forward" without Robin Vos in power.[19] |
” |
Second recall petition
Matthew Snorek filed the second recall petition on March 27, 2024. The recall petition listed the following reasons for recall:[20]
| “ |
Robin Vos should be recalled for his tacit support of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), acceptance of money and trips from the CCP, failure to protect Wisconsin farmland from the CCP, lack of commitment to election integrity, blocking lower prescription drug costs, and flagrant disrespect for his own constituents by calling them "whack-jobs, morons, and idiots."[19] |
” |
Recall opponents
After the first recall was announced, Vos released the following statement:[21]
| “ |
Failed local candidate, Matt Snorek, from Burlington registered a recall committee that seeks to overturn the results of the 2022 election. He’s being aided by Harry Waite who has been charged with election fraud. These same individuals were involved in my 2022 GOP primary where I defeated them. They continued their efforts with a write-in in the fall 2022 election where they also lost. The effort today is no surprise since the people involved cannot seem to get over any election in which their preferred candidate doesn’t win. This recall is a waste of time, resources and effort. I’m proud of my record and the accomplishments that we’ve achieved this year. More tax reductions for Wisconsin families, increased local government funding, restrictions on DEI, historic investments in making housing more affordable and others too numerous to mention. While the backers of this recall effort want to focus on the past, I am going to keep my eyes focused on the future. We have elections to win in the fall. We have an aggressive spring agenda focused on returning our surplus to taxpayers and making key investments in priority areas. I am confident that my friends, neighbors and supporters from Racine County will stand with me and ensure this effort fails to gain any real traction.[19] |
” |
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Wisconsin
The number of valid signatures required for a recall election is 25% of the number of persons that voted in the last preceding election for the office of governor within the electoral district of the officer sought to be recalled. Each signer must be a qualified voter within the district represented by the officeholder being recalled, and the address of each signer must be located within that district.
Circulation of the recall petition must be completed within 60 days after registration. The completed petition must be returned to the original filing officer at 5:00 p.m. on the 60th day from the registration date.
Election history
2022
See also: Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2022
General election
General election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63
Incumbent Robin Vos defeated Joel Jacobsen and Adam Steen in the general election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Robin Vos (R) | 73.0 | 16,977 |
 | Joel Jacobsen (D) (Write-in) | 15.0 | 3,495 | |
 | Adam Steen (R) (Write-in)  | 9.1 | 2,112 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.9 | 678 | ||
| Total votes: 23,262 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63
Incumbent Robin Vos defeated Adam Steen in the Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63 on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robin Vos | 51.3 | 5,084 |
| Adam Steen | 48.7 | 4,824 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 5 | ||
| Total votes: 9,913 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2020
See also: Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2020
General election
General election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63
Incumbent Robin Vos defeated Joel Jacobsen in the general election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robin Vos (R) | 58.4 | 19,919 |
| Joel Jacobsen (D) | 41.5 | 14,132 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 36 | ||
| Total votes: 34,087 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63
Joel Jacobsen advanced from the Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63 on August 11, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joel Jacobsen | 99.8 | 3,490 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 7 | ||
| Total votes: 3,497 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Robert Prailes (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63
Incumbent Robin Vos advanced from the Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63 on August 11, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robin Vos | 98.7 | 3,302 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.3 | 42 | ||
| Total votes: 3,344 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
- See also: Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2018
General election
General election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63
Incumbent Robin Vos defeated Joel Jacobsen in the general election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robin Vos (R) | 61.0 | 16,775 |
| Joel Jacobsen (D) | 38.9 | 10,705 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 19 | ||
| Total votes: 27,499 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63
Joel Jacobsen advanced from the Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63 on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joel Jacobsen | 100.0 | 3,813 |
| Total votes: 3,813 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63
Incumbent Robin Vos advanced from the Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 63 on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robin Vos | 100.0 | 5,395 |
| Total votes: 5,395 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Historical state legislative recalls
Ballotpedia tracked 178 recall efforts against 161 state lawmakers from 1913 to 2023. Six of those recall efforts carried over from 2023 to 2024. During that time, 40 recalls made the ballot and 22 state legislators were successfully recalled.[22]
Michigan led the way with 55 state legislative recall efforts from 1913 to 2023. Of those 55 recall efforts, three were successful and five efforts carried over into 2024. Wisconsin followed with 30 state legislative recall efforts. Six of those recalls were successful.
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
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Vos recall organizer launches second effort after first one fails," March 28, 2024
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Group seeks to recall Assembly Speaker Robin Vos a second time," May 28, 2024
- ↑ Fox 6, "Robin Vos recall: Enough signatures collected to force recall election," June 25, 2024
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Group turns in signatures to trigger recall of Robin Vos but new maps complicate the effort," June 25, 2024
- ↑ 620WTMJ, "UPDATE: Not enough signatures to recall Robin Vos, WI Elections Commission declares" June 27, 2024
- ↑ PBS Wisconsin ,"Organizers of second campaign to recall Vos file court appeal," July 8, 2024
- ↑ PBS Wisconsin ,"Dane County judge rejects appeal by group seeking to recall Vos," July 9, 2024
- ↑ Wisconsin Public Radio, "Wisconsin Supreme Court rejects request to hear recall attempt from Vos opponents," August 27, 2024
- ↑ AP, "Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos targeted for recall for not supporting Trump," January 10, 2024
- ↑ Wisconsin State Journal, "In challenge from right, conservative activist seeks to recall Robin Vos," January 11, 2024
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "First effort to force recall election of Speaker Robin Vos falls short," April 10, 2024
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Robin Vos recall organizers fail to submit enough valid signatures, initial review finds." March 12, 2024
- ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Special Meeting - Thursday, April 11," accessed April 12, 2024
- ↑ WISPOLITICS, "Elections Commission to ask Supreme Court to clarify which lines apply to Vos recall," accessed March 12, 2024
- ↑ AP News, "Wisconsin’s Democratic governor signs his new legislative maps into law after Republicans pass them," February 20, 2024
- ↑ WISPOLITICS, "Elections Commission to ask Supreme Court to clarify which lines apply to Vos recall," accessed March 12, 2024
- ↑ AP, "Wisconsin Supreme Court refuses to clarify district boundaries for potential recall election," April 3, 2024
- ↑ Wisconsin Public Radio, "Recall petition," accessed January 12, 2024
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ WISPOLITICS, "Statement of intent to circulate recall petition," accessed March 29, 2024
- ↑ WisPolitics.com, "Vos campaign: Statement," January 10, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Recall of State Officials," accessed August 13, 2021
