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Veronica Medina recall, Archuleta County, Colorado (2024)
| Veronica Medina recall |
|---|
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| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2024 Recalls in Colorado Colorado recall laws County commission recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall Archuleta County Commissioner Veronica Medina began on July 5 after the Archuleta Clerk and Recorder approved the recall petition targeting Medina. To get the recall on the ballot, recall supporters had until September 3, 2024 to collect 1,829 signatures. The recall petition was originally submitted by Ashley Springer.[1] The recall effort did not go to a vote after organizers did not submit their gathered signatures for verification.[2]
Recall supporters
Recall supporters claim that Medina violated Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) 31-4-404(2), CRS 24-18-109(3)(a), CRS 18-8-308 and CRS 24-18-109(2)(b) by failing to disclose conflicts of interest and failing to recuse herself from matters related to these conflicts. The recall petition against Medina says: "Veronica Medina has Failed to recuse herself during recent county property purchase votes, and repeatedly voted on Land Use Regulations (LURs) since swearing oath to office January 2023, patterning direct conflict of interest.”[1]
Recall opponents
Medina responded to the petition by saying that her role as a licensed realtor brought “a unique and valuable perspective to the role." She added that she did not commit a violation of state statutes related to financial disclosure and conflicts of interest since the votes in question did not benefit her “personal or private financial interest." Medina also said that she would disclose any future potential conflicts of interest and recuse herself.[1]
Further, Medina said: “Recalling me would deprive the county of a dedicated and knowledgeable advocate who is deeply invested in our county’s well-being. My record demonstrates a commitment to fairness, ethical conduct and effective governance. I urge you to consider the benefits of my professional background and allow me to continue serving our county with integrity and dedication.”[1]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Colorado
No specific grounds are required for recall in Colorado. The number of signatures required for a recall to qualify for the ballot in Colorado depends on the office type.[3][4] After the petition is approved by the relevant election office, petitioners have 60 days to gather signatures.[5]
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
- Ballotpedia's Recall Report
- Recall campaigns in Colorado
- Political recall efforts, 2024
- County commission recalls
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Archuleta County Clerk and Recorder
- Archuleta County Board of Commissioners
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The Pagosa Springs Sun, "Recall petition approved against Commissioner Veronica Medina," accessed July 18, 2024
- ↑ The Pagosa Springs Sun, "Recall petition against Medina dropped," accessed September 18, 2024
- ↑ Colorado Revised Statutes, "Section 1-12-105 - Signatures required for school district officers," accessed March 11, 2024
- ↑ Colorado Revised Statutes, "Section 1-12-104 - Signatures required for state and county officers," accessed March 11, 2024
- ↑ Colorado Revised Statutes, "Section 1-12-108 - Petition requirements - approval as to form - determination of sufficiency - protest - offenses," accessed October 13, 2023
