Bedford working on bill that would allow recall elections

Senate Minority Whip Marc Keahey (D-Grove Hill) and Senate Minority Leader Roger Bedford (D-Russellville) have introduced legislation proposing a constitutional amendment that will allow voters to recall elected officials after the first year of an official’s term of office.

“The potential for recall elections forces legislators to be more accountable to the people, and diminishes the influence of special interests groups and political party bosses,” Keahey said.

The bills offered by Keahey and Bedford would allow the public to recall an elected official after one year into the elected official’s term of office. To recall an elected official, Keahey’s bill states that voters must file a petition with the Secretary of State. The petition must be signed by a number voters that equals at least 25 percent of the vote cast in the previous election for the office being recalled.

The petition must then be submitted to the Secretary of State within 90 days of the original filing. If the Secretary of State determines that all requirements have been met, a recall vote will be scheduled for the sixth Tuesday following the announcement of the decision.

The bills stipulate that recall elections will be conducted in the same manner as special elections, and incumbent elected officials will continue to hold office until the results of the recall election are officially announced.

“Legislators are supposed to represent the people in their districts, not their party bosses,” Bedford said. “Recall elections put the people back in charge.”

“The people shouldn’t have to wait three years to remove an elected official who is incapable or incompetent,” Keahey added.

“If we are going to streamline the process of getting rid of bad teachers, then we should also streamline the process of getting rid of bad legislators.”