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Town board recall, Stoughton, Massachusetts (2017)
| Stoughton Town Board recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
Robert Cohn David Sousa |
| Recall status |
| Recall election date |
| December 5, 2017 |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2017 Recalls in Massachusetts Massachusetts recall laws City council recalls Recall reports |
Stoughton Town Board members Peter Brown, Robert Cohn, and David Sousa were recalled from office in a special election on December 5, 2017.[1] Former school committee chair Deborah Sovinee filed affidavits against each board member on July 30, 2017.[2] Sovinee accused Brown, Cohn, and Sousa of failure to uphold the town charter by removing the town manager. Cohn told local media that the recall was expensive for the town.[3]
The Stoughton Board of Selectmen consists of five members elected at large to three-year terms.[4] Cohn was last elected in April 2015, Brown was last elected in April 2016, and Sousa won re-election in April 2017.[5]
Recall vote
A recall election took place on December 5, 2017.[3] The ballot asked whether Brown, Cohn, and Sousa should be recalled with a separate question for each board member. Voters needed to select a candidate for each board seat regardless of how they voted on the first question.[6] The town charter allows incumbents to run and win re-election to their seats in recall elections.[7] The candidates for each board seat are listed below:
Brown seat
| Should Peter Brown Be Recalled? | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Recall | 1864 | 52.3% | ||
| Retain | 1700 | 47.7% | ||
| Recall of Peter Brown | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Richard Hill | 1889 | 52.59% | ||
 Peter Brown (i) | 1703 | 47.41% | ||
| Election results via: Stoughton Patch (accessed December 5, 2017) | ||||
Cohn seat
| Should Robert Cohn Be Recalled? | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Recall | 1862 | 51.69% | ||
| Retain | 1740 | 48.31% | ||
| Recall of Robert Cohn | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Stephen Cavey | 1854 | 52.36% | ||
| Robert Cohn (i) | 1687 | 47.64% | ||
| Election results via: Stoughton Patch (accessed December 5, 2017) | ||||
Sousa seat
| Should David Sousa Be Recalled? | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Recall | 1942 | 53.99% | ||
| Retain | 1655 | 46.01% | ||
| Recall of David Sousa | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Christine Howe | 1974 | 55.14% | ||
| David Sousa (i) | 1606 | 44.86% | ||
| Election results via: Stoughton Patch (accessed December 5, 2017) | ||||
Recall supporters
Sovinee's affidavits accused the trio of board members of failing to uphold the town charter, exposing the town to legal action, failing to perform the duties of office, and refusing public comments at meetings. The recall effort stemmed from a June 29 decision by Brown, Cohn, and Sousa to remove the town manager and appoint a replacement without fulfilling the terms of the previous manager's contract.[2]
Recall opponents
Sousa declined to comment following initiation of the recall because they had not reviewed the affidavits. Cohn responded to the recall effort by saying that any legal action brought by the former town manager would be covered by the town's insurance. He also criticized the recall effort for potential election costs.[2] Brown initially announced his intention to resign from office on October 4, 2017, but did not officially submit his resignation prior to the election.[8]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Massachusetts
Recall supporters needed to submit approximately 900 valid signatures from town residents by August 21, 2017, to require a special election.[2] Sovinee submitted approximately 1,340 signatures to the town clerk on August 21, 2017.[9] The town clerk certified enough valid signatures to require an election for all three board members.[10]
Recent news
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See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Stoughton Patch, "Stoughton Recall Challengers Sweep To Victory," December 5, 2017
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Enterprise, "Petition seeks to recall three Stoughton selectmen," August 1, 2017
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Stoughton Patch, "How Much Will The Stoughton Recall Election Cost?" September 22, 2017
- ↑ eCode 360, "Town of Stoughton, MA: Article 3: Board of Selectmen," accessed November 27, 2017
- ↑ Town of Stoughton, Massachusetts, "Board of Selectmen," accessed November 27, 2017
- ↑ Stoughton Patch, "How To Fill Out The Stoughton Recall Ballot," November 26, 2017
- ↑ eCode 360, "Town of Stoughton, MA: Article 9: Recall of Elective Officers," accessed November 27, 2017
- ↑ The Enterprise, "Stoughton selectman resigns during meeting, now reconsiders," October 4, 2017
- ↑ Stoughton Patch, "Selectmen Recall Supporters Turn In Over 1,340 Signatures," August 22, 2017
- ↑ The Patriot Ledger, "Two more to run in Stoughton selectmen recall election," September 8, 2017
