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Sonya Brown recall, Albion, Michigan (2019)
| Albion Mayoral recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| Recall election date |
| November 5, 2019 |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2019 Recalls in Michigan Michigan recall laws Mayoral recalls Recall reports |
An effort in Albion, Michigan, to recall Mayor Pro Tempore Sonya Brown was initiated in February 2019. Petitioners submitted enough signatures to put the recall on the ballot. The recall election was held on November 5, 2019.[1] Brown was removed from office as a result of the recall vote.[2]
A second recall effort against an Albion official, targeting Councilwoman Jeanette Spicer, was initiated in April 2019. For information on the recall effort against Spicer, click here.
Recall vote
The recall election was held on November 5, 2019. The filing deadline for candidates running in the recall was July 26, 2019. Al Smith defeated Brown in the recall election.[2]
| Sonya Brown recall | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Recall | 220 | 63.95% | ||
| Retain | 124 | 36.05% | ||
| Election results via: KGNS | ||||
Recall supporters
Albion Precinct 3 resident Bruce Nelson organized the recall effort in response to reports that Brown sent a message to City Manager LaTonya Rufus telling her to remove Scott Kipp, a city employee. The message read, according to the petition, "Get rid of him! He's untrustworthy." Petitions said that the text violated Section 5.8 of the city charter which states, "council members shall not individually direct the appointment or removal of any administrative officer or employee of the city."[3]
Recall opponents
Brown challenged the recall effort in the courts. She said that the text message was obtained illegally and disseminated improperly to the public.[3]
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.
Petitioners in the recall effort against Brown were required to submit 132 valid signatures.[3]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ WWMT, "Albion sets Nov. 5 recall election for Council Member Sonya Brown," July 16, 2019
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 WILX, "Recall election results, Brown voted out of office," November 6, 2019
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Battle Creek Enquirer, "Recall petition submitted against Albion Mayor Pro Tem Sonya Brown," February 26, 2019
- ↑ Michigan Legislature, "Michigan Compiled Laws Section 168.955," accessed February 16, 2016
