Previous Section:Voting Districts

Recall Elections and Referendums and Initiatives

Overview:  

Elections are not only held to select a representative.  A recall election is a process through which voters can shorten an office holder's term.  In order to hold a recall election, an official petition is needed that typically involves the names of at least 25% of the people who voted for the official in the prior election.  If the majority wins the recall election, the official is removed from office.  Citizens also vote on referendums.  A referendum is the process through which voters may vote on new laws and statutory issues, in turn increasing the voters' power over government.  In order for voters to vote on referendums, initiatives must be proposed, processes through which voters may propose new laws.

Recall Elections:

What are recall elections?

Recall elections allow voters to remove a representative from office before his or her term is over.  Recall elections most frequently happen at local levels, however recall elections may happen at state levels too. 

What is the difference between a recall election and an impeachment?

Impeachment is a legal process unlike referendum which is a political device.  Impeachment involves the House of Representatives and the Senate.  The House of Representatives must first pass a formal allegation against the office holder and then the Senate acts as a jury.  In order to convict the office holder, two-thirds of the majority of the Senate is required and if successful, the represenative is removed from office.

What are the grounds for recall?

The grounds for recall vary depending upon the state.  However, generally speaking, recalls are necessitated by incompetence, misconduct, felony conviction, or poor mental or physical health on the part of the officer.

What is the process for recall elections?

In order for a recall election to occur, citizen petitions are needed.  The number of signatures required on the petition varies from state to state.  Generally, the number of signatures corresponds to the percentage of the vote in the last election for the officer in question.  Most states require atleast 25%.  For example, Kansas requires 40% while Montana only requires 10%.

Do recall elections occur in all states?

Recall elections generally happen at the the local levels in all states.  However only 18 states allow for the recall of state officals, Arizona being one of them.

How is the recalled offical replaced?

Once again, this varies from state to state.  In six states, the successor is chosen in an election that is held simultaneously with the recall election.  In other states, a special election is later held. 

Referendums and Initiative: 

What is a referendum?

A referendum is generally a vote by the people to overturn laws that have already been enacted at the state of local levels.  The referendum process is allowed in 24 states, most of which are the states that allow initiatives.

What is an initiative?

An initiative is the proposal of new legislation to be voted upon by the people.  The initiative process is used in 24 states, 18 or which allow the proposal of constitutional amendments, and 21 of which allow the proposal of statutes. 

Images (in the order they appear):

“Welcome to tonight’s coverage cartoon” http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/5/1/recall_2074.jpg>( 30 November 2009)

“Referendum cartoon” http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/shu0015l.jpg>   (25 November 2009)

Information for recall elections:

“Recall of State Officials” The Forum for America’s Ideas. March 21, 2006.             http://www.ncsl.org/LegislaturesElections/ElectionsCampaigns/RecallofStateOfficials/tabid/16581/Default.aspx> (30 November 2009)

Information for referendums:

“What are ballot propositions, initiatives, and referendums?” IRI Initiative & Referendum Institute at the University of Southern California,           

http://www.iandrinstitute.org/Quick%20Fact%20-%20What%20is%20I&R.html>. (12 December 2009).

Next Section: Elections and the Media