Also known as: recall elections · recall · recall vote
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
An election in which voters have the opportunity to remove a public official from office before the end of the official's term.
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Rosalind Reed, the mayor of a mid-sized city, faced growing public anger after approving a large tax increase. Citizens gathered enough signatures to place her on the ballot for removal. The recall election proceeded and Reed lost her seat by a wide margin, triggering a special election for her successor.
Ralph Richardson, a city council member, drew opposition after supporting a controversial zoning change. Opponents collected the required signatures and forced a recall election. Richardson survived the vote and remained in office.
Rosa Ruiz and two other school board members were targeted after approving a new curriculum. A recall election was held and all three were removed from office. The vacancies were filled through appointments until the next regular election.
Rina Rahman, the state governor, faced a recall petition after a series of budget cuts. The recall election took place but Rahman received enough votes to stay in office. The outcome ended further efforts to remove her during that term.
Ravi Reddy, the county sheriff, lost support after a high-profile misconduct scandal. A recall election was scheduled and voters chose to remove him. A replacement was appointed pending the next general election.
Rowan Russell, the city attorney, became the subject of a recall petition after refusing to pursue certain enforcement actions. The recall election was held and Russell was removed from office. The city council appointed an interim replacement.
A recall election allows voters to remove a public official from office before the end of the term when sufficient signatures are gathered on a petition. The election proceeds if the required number of valid signatures is obtained under state law.
A recall election is initiated by petition to remove an incumbent rather than to select a new officeholder at the end of a term. It occurs outside the normal election cycle and focuses solely on whether the current official should continue in office.
If voters approve removal, the official is immediately ousted and a vacancy is created. State law then governs whether an appointment or a special election fills the position until the next regular election.
…outlook is simply to keep the Constitution in supposed "tune with the times" ( post , p. 522). Need one go further than to recall last Term's reapportionment cases, Wesberry v. Sanders , 376 U. S. 1. and Reynolds v. Sims , 377 U. S. 533, where a majority of the Court "interpreted" "by the People" (Art. I, § 2) and…