Title:
Proposed Recall Election Law Makes Recalls Virtually Impossible
Author:
Ghazey Aleck
Date:
4/21/2002
Year:
2002
Article:
04/21/2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ghazey Aleck
1-800-608-7375
Do you like your local elected officials? You had better if House Bill # 5185 becomes law in Michigan.
This bill will require a recall election in Michigan to not only gain a majority of votes to support the recall of a local official, but it also requires that the total votes for recall be greater than he or she received in the last election.
Since almost all recalls are done in a special election where voter turnout is significantly lower than a general election it would make it virtually impossible to remove a wayward elected official by the will of the people. Even worse since Michigan had a near record turnout for the last general election it simply would be impossible to recall virtually any elected official no matter how bad they are.
Elected officials serve by the will of the voters and the voters should always have the guaranteed right to remove a public official from office if the majority of voters will it to happen.
Under the proposed bill it is possible to have 90% of the voters who turn out for a special election to vote for the recall of an elected official but end up with the same official remaining in office.
For example, in the recent recall election in Flint, MI. Now former Mayor Woodrow Stanley would have avoided recall despite the voters having overwhelmingly voting for his recall.
According to Libertarian Party Chairman Ghazey Aleck, The taxpayers of Flint would have little to no recourse to remove a mayor who is unable to account for millions of dollars. The taxpayers of Flint as well as taxpayers throughout the State of Michigan have a right to be represented by elected officials in whom they have full faith and confidence.
Dont wait until find you may have an elected official who deserves to be removed from office. Make your opinion heard. Contact the Governor’s office and your State Senator as soon as possible and tell them to kill this bill before it is too late.
