Ballotpedia features 408,501 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. Some state constitutions have stated the right of citizens to recall their members of the United States Congress, but whether it is constitutionally legal at the federal level has not been yet been ruled upon by the United States Supreme Court. 1983 Michigan State Senator Phil Mastin: successfully recalled. In the 19 states that allow recall elections, citizens can attempt to remove an elected official from office at any time. 294A.006, Ch. 8, 1-6; Ariz. Rev. 25-4301), 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 (Const. The option was considered during the drafting of the document in 1787, but was not included in the final version. The referendum is a petition from citizens to seek an election to put legislation that has passed the executive and legislature up to a vote of the citizenry. Conversely, the Attorney General of Wisconsin in 1979 give an opinion that state administration could not reject a petition for recall of a member of the U.S. Congress. He sort of became a darling of conservatives around the country as a result, and that helped fuel his presidential campaign," Burden said. The state official determines the number of signatures needed to qualify for a recall election. In New Hampshire and Vermont, governors are elected to two-year terms. There is no precedent of a Virginia state legislator or governor having faced recall. Its a rare combination. Pennsylvanias municipal codes (i.e., state statues laying out the framework for how different types of local governments operate) provided for recall and removal by local governing body vote until 2014, despite the state Constitution establishing a process in 1968 and multiple court decisions affirming deference to it over the decades since. [4] States that allow recall elections of state officials: Alaska Arizona California Colorado Georgia Idaho Illinois Kansas Louisiana Michigan Minnesota Montana Nevada New Jersey North Dakota Oregon Rhode Island Laws governing the process of recalling a governor vary by state. Ann. How can I recall an elected official in my state? "However, the last two have happened in the last decade," she said, pointing to the "highly polarized political landscape.". Think is a national call-in radio program, hosted by acclaimed journalist Krys Boyd and produced by KERA North Texas PBS and NPR member station. This process typically includes the circulation of petitions by recall organizers, the evaluation of signatures by election officials, and a public vote if the petitions are deemed to have sufficient valid signatures. The name of the official who is the subject of the recall may appear on the ballot along with other nominees. "Wisconsin is a swing state, and Walker was pushing hard against a white working-class, union-vested status quo in shaking up state policy," she said. Initiative and Referendum Overview and Resources Eight of the states that allow gubernatorial recalls require specific grounds to be met in order for a recall effort to move forward, such as malfeasance or misfeasance in office. 19:27A-1 19:27A-18, North Dakota Const. 1 In New Jersey,. Recall of State Officials - National Conference of State Legislatures In the remaining 12 states, the recall ballot contains only the question of whether the official should be recalled.