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Tim Clark and Meghin Margel recall, Kent School District, Washington (2025)

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Kent School District recall
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Officeholders
Tim Clark
Meghin Margel
Recall status
Did not go to a vote
Signature requirement
25% of votes cast for the office at the last election
See also
Recall overview
Political recall efforts, 2025
Recalls in Washington
Washington recall laws
School board recalls
Recall reports

An effort to recall Meghin Margel and Tim Clark, the District 2 and 5 representatives, respectively, on the Kent School District board of directors in Washington, did not go to a vote in 2025. The King County Superior Court dismissed the petitions against them "for lack of factual and legal sufficiency" on April 11, 2025.[1]

Recall supporters

The petition against Margel included the following reasons for recall:[2]

“

1. Margel abused her authority in voting, along with a Board majority, to create a committee that violated Board policy.
2. Margel violated the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and Constitutional rights, denied due process, and abused executive session powers by holding closed committee meetings, along with a majority of the Board.
3. Margel violated Board policy and RCW 28A.320.015 by voting, together with a Board majority, to adopt a resolution.
4. Margel, in acting to suspend a Board policy, violated First Amendment rights and failed to comply with Board, OPMA, and notice requirements.
5. Margel violated Board procurement policy, RCW 39.26.140, and RCW 28A.400.315, and failed in her fiduciary duty and duty to act in voting to hire consultant services, along with a Board majority.
6. Margel breached her fiduciary duty in voting, with a Board majority, to approve a contract that posed a conflict of interest for the Board.
7. Margel, as Board president, violated RCW 42.17A.555 for failing to stop public comments in support of a ballot measure at a Board meeting.[3]

”

The petition against Clark included the following reasons for recall:[2]

“

1. Clark abused his authority in voting, along with a Board majority, to create a committee that violated Board policy.
2. Clark violated the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and Constitutional rights, denied due process, and abused executive session powers by holding closed committee meetings, along with a majority of the Board.
3. Clark violated Board policy and RCW 28A.320.015 by voting, together with a Board majority, to adopt a resolution.
4. Clark, ni acting to suspend a Board policy, violated First Amendment rights and failed to comply with Board, OPMA, and notice requirements.
5. Clark violated Board procurement policy, RCW 39.26.140, and RCW 28A.400.315, and failed in his fiduciary duty and duty to act in voting to hire consultant services, along with a Board majority.
6. Clark breached his fiduciary duty in voting, with a Board majority, to approve a contract that posed a conflict of interest for the Board.[3]

”

Recall opponents

“There will be a ‘Sufficiency’ hearing on April 11 in a King County courtroom to determine whether there is reason to send this onto the ballot,” Clark said in response to the recall effort. “I believe this will put an end to the matter. Meghin and I have always done due diligence on all contentious issues. It is time to put this to rest.”[4]

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing recall in Washington

Washington allows the following grounds for recall: malfeasance or misfeasance while in office or violating the oath of office.[5] Before a recall petition can collect signatures, the grounds for recall must be considered by a superior court judge. If the judge rules that the grounds for recall meet the state requirements, the petition will be approved for circulation. To get the recall on the ballot, supporters must collect signatures equal to 25% or 35% of the votes cast for the office at the last election, depending on the office type.[6] Signatures must be collected within 180 days.[7]

2025 recall efforts

See also: School board recalls

Ballotpedia has tracked 21 school board recall efforts against 39 board members in 2025. Recall elections against three board members were approved by voters on April 22, 2025, and June 10, 2025, removing all three from office. Recall elections are also being held on November 4, 2025.

The chart below details the status of 2025 recall efforts by individual school board member.

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

  1. ↑ Kent Reporter, "Judge dismisses petitions to recall 2 Kent School Board members," April 11, 2025
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 KSD Board Recall, "Home," accessed March 28, 2025
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  4. ↑ Kent Reporter, "Two Kent School Board members could face recall," March 19, 2025
  5. ↑ Constitution of the State of Washington, "Article I, Section 33," accessed October 16, 2023
  6. ↑ Washington Constitution, "Article I, Section 34," accessed October 17, 2023
  7. ↑ Washington State Legislature, "Revised Code of Washington: 29A.56.150," accessed October 17, 2023
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