Recall Election: Understanding How a Recall Election Works

A recall election is a special election in the United States to remove an elected official on the state or local level from their position before the end of their term of office. If an official is successfully recalled, an election for a new candidate is held. Recall elections protect direct democracy, allow a constituency to hold their public officials accountable, and provide a check on the influence of political parties or lobbyists on an elected official. Unlike an impeachment trial—when governmental officials vote to impeach a fellow official— a recall election is held by civilians.

Certain state legislatures—such as Rhode Island, Alaska, and Washington—have laws permitting a recall vote only if the state official has performed some form of malfeasance or misconduct while in office, and the targeted official has the right to dispute the allegations in court. Recall provisions, such as the required number of signatures from registered voters, as well as the time allotted to gather valid signatures, differ from state to state.

Recall elections occur with a popular vote when a large enough number of an electorate signs a recall petition. Local governmental bodies may have different procedures for recalling an elected official. This is how the recall process works in the state legislature:

1. 1. Application for petition: A group of citizens may apply to file a petition with the applicable elections official. Certain states require grounds for recall, which may include lack of mental fitness, malfeasance or misconduct while in office, or failure to perform duties described by law.
2. 2. Petition: If the application to petition a recall is approved, the petitioners must compile a certain amount of signatures within a specified time frame. Every state and local body differs on the amount of time and number of signatures required.
3. 3. Submission: Once the petition is completed, it is submitted to elections officials.
4. 4. Recall election: A recall election is held. If the electorate votes to remove the official from office, another election is held to elect their replacement.

Recall election procedures were introduced in a constitutional amendment in 1787, but it was not adopted on the federal level. Instead, recall election procedures were adopted by the individual first states. Recall elections have been most successful against judges, mayors, and city council members, but they have also been used to recall governors and members of state legislatures. In 2011, there were a record number of recall elections in the United States, with a total of 150 recall attempts, 75 of which were successful in removing officials from office. There have been several notable recall elections in the United States:

• Governor Lynn Frazier of North Dakota: In 1921, Governor Lynn Frazier of North Dakota became the first governor in U.S. history to be successfully recalled. The recall was due to Governor Frazier’s support of industries being state-owned, and his membership in the Nonpartisan League, which fellow Republicans viewed as socialist-leaning.
  
• Governor Evan Mecham of Arizona: In 1988, Governor Evan Mecham of Arizona was about to be recalled, but he was instead impeached and convicted for obstruction of justice and misuse of government funds.
• Governor Gray Davis of California: In 2003, Governor Gray Davis of California was recalled and replaced with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The recall was due tof Governor Davis's mishandling of the state budget and his response to an energy crisis at the time.
• Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin: In 2011, Republican Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin faced a recall election due to his opposition to rights for state employees. The recall election took place in 2012, and was the first in which the incumbent survived the recall election.
  

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