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State legislative recalls

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This page lists political recall efforts targeting state legislators across the United States. Click on the tabs below for links to the recall coverage from each year.

The following list may be incomplete. If you are aware of a current or historical recall effort not listed on this page, please contact editor@ballotpedia.org to let us know.

Recalls by year

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1913

Historical state legislative recalls

Ballotpedia tracked 186 recall efforts against 168 state lawmakers from 1913 to 2024. During that time, 40 recalls made the ballot and 22 state legislators were successfully recalled.[1] A breakdown of the state legislative recall efforts by year is displayed in the chart below:

Michigan state legislators drew more recall petitions than any other from 1913 to 2024. Three of those 60 recall efforts have been successful. Wisconsin and California followed with 32 and 25 recall efforts, respectively. Wisconsin led all states with six legislators recalled, while California had five. The most recent successful recall effort against a state lawmaker was in 2018 with California state Senator Josh Newman (D). A breakdown of the various recall efforts is displayed in the chart below:

Notable recall efforts

2018: Josh Newman recall, California State Senate

See also: Josh Newman recall, California State Senate (2017-2018)

California state Sen. Josh Newman (D) was recalled from the Orange County-based Senate District 29 on June 5, 2018, and replaced by former Assemblywoman Ling Ling Chang (R). About 58% of voters chose to recall him, and 34% voted for Chang as his replacement. As of June 2018, Newman was the fifth California state legislator recalled since 1913 and the first since Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R), also of Orange County, was recalled in 1995.[2]

Republican activist Carl DeMaio targeted Newman for recall in April 2017 after he voted to increase the state's gas tax. The state GOP and Republican-affiliated groups like Reform California and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association began a signature-gathering effort against him and reached enough signatures to trigger a recall by late August 2017. Democrats in the state legislature passed legislation that resulted in the recall election being delayed until June 5 and argued that the signature gatherers had used deceptive methods.[3] Republicans argued that moving the election to June 5, the same day as the statewide primary, was intended to help Newman survive the recall because Democratic turnout was expected to be higher.[4]

Newman's recall ended Democrats' two-thirds majority in the California State Senate, although resignations by Democratic members accused of sexual harassment had already made the status of the party's supermajority uncertain since the end of 2017. When DeMaio first announced the recall, he said he wanted to end the supermajority because that was the voting power required to increase taxes in the state. He also said Newman was being targeted before other Democrats because he won his 2016 election, also against Chang, by fewer than 2,500 votes.[5] In 2020, Newman ran in the election for his old seat and defeated Chang with 51% of the vote.

2013: Angela Giron and John Morse recalls, Colorado State Senate

See also: Angela Giron recall, Colorado State Senate (2013) and John Morse recall, Colorado State Senate (2013)

Colorado state Senators Angela Giron (D) and John Morse (R) were both recalled from office on September 10, 2013. Both lawmakers were targeted for recall over their support of three firearm bills. Giron and Morse were the first state lawmakers in the state's history to be recalled.

The Giron recall was led by Pueblo Freedom and Rights. Supporters had to submit 11,500 valid signatures to require a recall election. Giron was recalled with 56% of the vote and was replaced by George Rivera (R). The Basic Freedom Defense Fund led the recall campaign against Morse. Supporters of the recall needed to collect 7,200 valid signatures to require a recall election. About 51% of voters chose to recall Morse. He was replaced by Bernie Herpin (R).

2011: Wisconsin State Senate recalls

See also: Recall of Wisconsin State Senators (2011)

Sixteen recall efforts were filed against Wisconsin state senators in 2011. Of the 16 efforts, nine efforts were certified to appear on the ballot. State Senators Jim Holperin (D), Robert Wirch (D), Dave Hansen (D), Robert Cowles (R), Alberta Darling (R), Sheila Harsdorf (R), and Luther Olsen (R) were all retained by voters in recall elections. Two senators, Randy Hopper (R) and Dan Kapanke (R), were defeated in the August 9 recall elections by Democratic challengers. Hopper lost to Jessica King (D) and Kapanke was replaced by Jennifer Shilling (D).

The senators were targeted for recall over Wisconsin Act 10, also known as the "Scott Walker Budget Repair Bill" and the events surrounding it. In February 2011, 14 Democratic members of the Wisconsin State Senate did not come to a scheduled legislative session in order to prevent a vote on right-to-work legislation. The Republican-sponsored bill limited collective bargaining rights, compensation, and benefits of public employees. The walkout came amidst protests by 25,000 people at the state capitol over the legislation.[6] Republicans held 19 seats, three short of the 22 members needed for a quorum on legislation with fiscal implications.

Wisconsin Senate Republicans ordered the arrest of the absent lawmakers, issuing warrants and giving state police the authority to detain and return the senators. The Democratic caucus remained in Illinois for the duration of the walkout, out of the state police's jurisdiction.[7] The walkout ended after five weeks when Republicans removed fiscal provisions from the legislation to lower the quorum needed for a vote. The Democrats returned three days after the legislation passed.[8]

1913: Marshall Black recall, California State Senate

See also: Marshall Black recall, California (1913)

California state Sen. Marshall Black (R) was the first-ever state lawmaker in the United States to be recalled on January 2, 1913.[9] He was replaced by Herbert C. Jones (R).[10][11] Black was targeted for recall after he was indicted for embezzlement. He later pleaded guilty to the charges and served over three years in prison.[12][13]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Recall of State Officials," accessed August 13, 2021
  2. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Recall History in California (1913 to Present)," accessed August 7, 2017
  3. ↑ Capital Public Radio, "Recall Provision In California Budget Seeks To Save Dems' Supermajority," June 16, 2017
  4. ↑ The Sacramento Bee, "Democrats push new rules to help them win an election," June 12, 2017
  5. ↑ Carl DeMaio, "DeMaio Launches Recall Campaign to Reverse Car and Gas Tax Hikes," April 25, 2017
  6. ↑ NPR, "Wis. Democrats Flee To Prevent Vote On Union Bill," February 17, 2011
  7. ↑ Wisconsin State Journal, "Senate orders arrest of missing Democrats," March 4, 2011
  8. ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Democratic senators return to Madison to tell crowd fight isn't over," March 12, 2011
  9. ↑ California State Library, "Proclamation," accessed August 20, 2021
  10. ↑ California Secretary of State, "California Blue Book or State Roster 1911," accessed August 20, 2021
  11. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Complete List of Recall Attempts," accessed August 20, 2021
  12. ↑ Join California, "Marshall Black," accessed August 20, 2021
  13. ↑ The San Francisco Call, "Black Pleads Guilty Against Lawyer's Advice," February 1, 1913

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