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States that require grounds for recalls
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A political recall is the process of removing an elected official from office via a public effort before the official's term is completed. Of the 39 states that allow for political recalls at some level of government, 12 states require specific grounds to be met in order for a recall to move forward.
Six of the states that require grounds for recall list malfeasance as one of those grounds. Other grounds include misconduct, neglect of duty, violating the oath of office, and incompetency.
This page includes:
- A map showing which states allow for recall and which states require grounds.
- A list of states that require grounds for recall and details on what those grounds are.
Map of states that require grounds for recall
In the map below, the states shown in orange require grounds for recall, while the states shown in blue do not require grounds for recall. The states shown in gray do not allow recalls of elected officials.
List of states that require grounds for recall
The table below includes the list of states that require specific grounds to be met before a recall can move forward against an elected official.
| State | Grounds required for recall | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Lack of fitness, incompetence, neglect of duties, or corruption | Alaska Statutes §15.45.510 |
| Florida | Malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, permanent inability to perform official duties, and conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude | Florida Statutes §100.361 |
| Georgia | Conducted himself or herself in a manner that adversely affects the administration of his or her office and adversely affects the rights and interests of the public; malfeasance while in office; violated his or her oath of office; misconduct; failure to perform duties prescribed by law; and willfully misused, converted, or misappropriated, without authority, public property or public funds entrusted to or associated with the elective office to which the official has been elected or appointed | Georgia Code §21-4-3(7) |
| Kansas | Conviction of a felony, misconduct in office, or failure to perform duties prescribed by law | Kansas Statutes §25-4302 |
| Minnesota | 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 | Minnesota Constitution Article VIII, Section 6 |
| Missouri | Misconduct in office, incompetence, or failure to perform duties prescribed by law | Missouri Revised Statutes Section 77.650 |
| Montana | Physical or mental lack of fitness, incompetence, violation of the oath of office, official misconduct, or conviction of a felony offense | Montana Code §2-16-603 |
| New Mexico | Malfeasance or misfeasance in office or violation of the oath of office | New Mexico Constitution Article X, Section 9 & New Mexico Constitution Article XII, Section 14 |
| Rhode Island | "Recall is authorized in the case of a general officer who has been indicted or informed against for a felony, convicted of a misdemeanor, or against whom a finding of probable cause of violation of the code of ethics has been made by the ethics commission." | Rhode Island Constitution Article IV, Section 1 |
| South Dakota | Misconduct, malfeasance, nonfeasance, crimes in office, drunkenness, gross incompetency, corruption, theft, oppression, or gross partiality. | South Dakota Codified Laws §9-13-30 |
| Virginia | Neglect of duty, misuse of office, or incompetence in the performance of duties when that neglect of duty, misuse of office, or incompetence in the performance of duties has a material adverse effect upon the conduct of the office | Code of Virginia § 24.2-233 |
| Washington | Malfeasance or misfeasance while in office or violating the oath of office | Washington State Constitution Article I, Section 33 |
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