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Sheldon Neeley recall, Flint, Michigan (2021)
| Flint Mayoral recall |
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| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2021 Recalls in Michigan Michigan recall laws Mayoral recalls Recall reports |
Efforts in Flint, Michigan, to recall Mayor Sheldon Neeley began in November 2020. On December 1, 2020, the Genesee County Election Commission rejected the first recall attempt due to issues with clarity in the petition language.[1] Another three recall petitions were rejected by the election commission on February 11, 2021.[2]
Recall supporters
The recall efforts were organized by Arthur Woodson. In the first recall petition, Woodson accused Neeley of failing to present a state of the city address within one year of taking office.[3] The second petition was filed in response to Neeley signing a resolution authorizing excess general liability insurance coverage. The third petition was relating to the timing of the state of the city address in December 2020. The final petition was filed over Neeley being copied on a violation notice email from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.[2]
Recall opponents
Archie Hayman, an attorney for Neeley, argued that the state of the city address must take place in the calendar year following the date the mayor is sworn in, rather than one year to the date of taking office.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Michigan
A recall petition must first be filed with the appropriate board, which then holds a hearing to determine whether the reason for the petition is "factual" and "clear"; that is the only criteria considered by the board to approve or reject the petition.
Once approved by the board, petitioners must amass a number of signatures equal to 25% of the number of votes cast in the last general election in the electoral district of the officer sought to be recalled.[4] Petitioners have 60 days to collect these signatures beginning on the date the first signature is collected; however, the petition must be submitted no later than 180 days after it was approved by the board.
The first recall petition was filed on November 16, 2020. On December 1, 2020, the Genesee County Election Commission rejected the recall due to issues with clarity in the petition language.[1] Woodson said after the first petition was rejected that he would continue to file petitions seeking a recall election against Neeley. Another three recall petitions were rejected by the election commission through unanimous votes on February 11, 2021.[2]
See also
- Recall campaigns in Michigan
- Political recall efforts, 2021
- Political recall efforts, 2020
- Mayoral recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Michigan Live, "Election Commission denies attempted recall of Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley," December 1, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Michigan Live, "Recall against Flint mayor rejected again by Genesee County Election Commission," February 11, 2021
- ↑ NBC 25 News, "Judge does not approve recall petition filed against Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley," November 17, 2020
- ↑ Michigan Legislature, "Michigan Compiled Laws Section 168.955," accessed February 16, 2016
