Board of selectmen recall, Kingston, Massachusetts (2020)
| Kingston Board of Selectman recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
Elaine Fiore |
| Recall status |
| Recall election date |
| June 27, 2020 |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2020 Recalls in Massachusetts Massachusetts recall laws City council recalls Recall reports |
An effort in Kingston, Massachusetts, to recall Kingston Selectmen Chairman Josh Warren and Selectman Elaine Fiore was initiated in January 2020.[1] On February 26, the Kingston Board of Registrars certified enough petitions to put both recalls on the ballot. Once Warren and Fiore received notification of the certification, they were given five days to resign. Because neither resigned, the Board of Selectmen set the date of the recall election for June 27, 2020.[2][3] Results of the recall election showed voters chose to recall both Warren and Fiore.[4]
Supporters of the recall effort cited Warren and Fiore's response to an incident that occurred in January between a city employee and another selectman as a significant factor in the recall effort. Warren responded that the board conducted a fact-based inquiry that included hiring an independent investigator.[1]
Recall vote
On June 27, 2020, voters recalled both Josh Warren and Elaine Fiore from their positions on the Kingston Board of Selectmen. Warren was removed with 1,570 votes for his recall versus 1,154 votes against; Fiore received 1,569 votes in favor of her recall to 1,178 votes against. Elected officials who are the subject of a recall election are permitted to run in the replacement race, and both Warren and Fiore chose to do so. In the replacement race, challenger Kimberley Emberg beat Warren by a vote of 1,542 to 1,098, and challenger Richard Arruda beat Fiore by a vote of 1,546 to 1,113. Emberg will serve the remainder of Warren's term through 2021, and Arruda will serve the remainder of Fiore's term through 2022.[4]
Kingston officials released a sample ballot for the special recall election that can be viewed below.
Recall supporters
Petitioners were led by Kingston resident Peter Boncek. The recall effort stemmed from an incident that occurred on January 9, 2020, between Selectman Jess Kramer and Town Administrator Tom Calter. Petitioners allege "nonfeasance in the wake of a witnessed attack on a fellow selectman from a town employee, conduct unbecoming and lack of confidence in the ability to lead honestly and act solely in the best interest of those he (and she) was elected to serve."[1]
Recall opponents
Josh Warren responded to the petition's allegations, saying that he doesn't understand how an incident at a bar to which he was not a party has reflected poorly on his leadership skills. He stated that the board acted to find out the facts and hired an independent investigator, who ultimately found both parties violated the town's code of civil conduct. He also said that petitioner Peter Boncek was unhappy with Warren's position on the board prior to the January 9 incident taking place.[1]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Massachusetts
On January 21, 2020, the Kingston town clerk certified 100 signatures on the recall affidavit targeting Josh Warren and Elaine Fiore. Petitioners then had until February 18 (21 days after the recall affidavit's certification) to submit signatures equal to 20% of the town's registered voters for each targeted official.[1] Petitioners met that threshold for both Warren and Fiore, with the Kingston Board of Registrars certifying 2,053 signatures for Warren and 2,073 signatures for Fiore on February 26. Upon receiving written notice of the certification, Warren and Fiore had five days to resign from their positions on the board. Because neither chose to resign, the Board of Selectmen scheduled the recall election to coincide with the annual town election on June 27, 2020.[2]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Wicked Local Kingston, "Recall supporters canvass Kingston," January 30, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Wicked Local Kingston, "Recall official," March 2, 2020
- ↑ PACTV, "Kingston Candidate Services," accessed June 9, 2020
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Kingston, Massachusetts, "June 27, 2020 Special Recall Election," accessed June 29, 2020
