Ballotpedia Report Shows 30% Increase in Successful Recall Attempts

Michigan, Oregon, and Texas have double-digit increases in recall attempts compared to 2020-2023 averages

MIDDLETON, Wis., July 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ballotpedia's recently released "Mid-Year Recall Report" shows more elected officials have faced recall efforts and were removed in recall elections by mid-year 2024 than at this point in any other year since Ballotpedia began tracking this data in 2014. The report covers recall efforts and elections from January 1 through June 28, 2024.

In contrast to 2022 and 2021, when school board officials drew the most recall petitions by mid-year, so far in 2024, city council officials account for the most with 41.4% of recall targets across all office types.

"During the first 10 years of publishing this report, we saw an average of 17 officials recalled halfway through the year," said Geoff Pallay, Ballotpedia's Editor in Chief. "Although they seldom get national attention, recall elections are a fixture in local politics, and this year we're seeing citizens more successfully use the recall process than ever before."

The successful recall of 38 elected officials so far this year surpasses the second-highest mid-year figure of 29 in 2016, while the lowest number was nine in both 2015 and 2021. The 164 recall efforts against 266 officials also exceeds the previous high of 265 officials in 2016, while the lowest was 115 in 2019.

Report key findings:

• California and Michigan tied as the states with the most officials targeted in recall efforts with 57 each.
• Michigan also had the highest number of officials targeted for recall in 2023.
• The third-highest state was Oregon with 27.
• Oregon is the state with the most recall attempts relative to its population at 0.64 recalls per 100,000 residents.

Noteworthy recall elections highlighted:

• Robin Vos, Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker
• Joseph Komrosky, Temecula Valley Unified School District, California
• Emil Mackey and Deedie Sorensen, Juneau Borough School District, Alaska
• Pamela Price, Alameda County District Attorney, California
• Charles Allen and Brianne Nadeau, Council of the District of Columbia

Click here to read the full report with detailed data and analysis.

About Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia, the encyclopedia of American politics, is the nation's most trusted source of unbiased information on politics, elections, and policy. Founded in 2007, Ballotpedia has grown from a small group of dedicated volunteers working on a handful of ballot measures to an essential resource for voters, media, and researchers. Ballotpedia is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the public interest in creating an educated, engaged electorate, and building a strong, healthy democracy. For free access to 490,000+ encyclopedic, professionally authored and curated articles, visit Ballotpedia.org.

SOURCE BALLOTPEDIA