Gubernatorial recall effort against Mike Dunleavy

It has been suggested that this article be merged into Mike Dunleavy (politician). (Discuss) Proposed since April 2021.

Elections in Alaska
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The gubernatorial recall effort against Mike Dunleavy is an effort to petition a recall election to recall Governor Mike Dunleavy. It would be the second recall petition against a governor in Alaska history. The first recall petition filed against a governor, Governor Wally Hickel, failed.^[1] The date of the likely election has yet to be determined due to the second recall petition still being underway. If the recall election is successful, Lieutenant Governor Kevin Meyer would become governor.^[2]

Background[]

Recall petitions in Alaska[]

Recall petitions in Alaska have two rounds. In the first petition round a group of three sponsors forms a recall committee and then collects signatures from registered voters equal to 10% of votes cast in the previous general election. The recall committee then submits these signatures to the Alaska Division of Elections. The Division of Elections will either accept or refuse the petition. If accepted the recall committee shall then proceed to the second petition round and collect signatures equal to 25% of the votes cast in the previous general election. Once the second completed petition is submitted to the Division of Elections they will either accept or refuse the petition. If accepted the Division of Elections will schedule a recall election.^[3]

The Alaska State Legislature sets the rules for recall elections.^[4] In the event a recall is successful, the vacancy will be filled "as a vacancy caused by any other means".^[5] If a recall election against the Governor of Alaska is successful, then the Lieutenant Governor of Alaska will finish the remainder of the term.^[4]

The deadline to submit signatures for the petition is 180 days before the end of the governor's term which is June 8, 2022.^[3]

Dunleavy recall petition[]

On July 15, 2019, an effort to recall Dunleavy began following a public backlash over his cuts to public assistance, education and the University of Alaska ($135 million cut to state funding, about a 41% reduction). To have the petition certified by the Division of Elections, the petitioners were required to submit 28,501 signatures (approximately 10% of the voting population in Alaska's last general election).^[6] On September 5, 2019, volunteers submitted 49,006 petition signatures to the Alaska Division of Elections for certification.^[7] On November 4, 2019, the Division of Elections declined to certify the recall petition following the issuance of a legal opinion by Alaska attorney general Kevin Clarkson. Clarkson acknowledged that the petitioners had submitted sufficient signatures and paid the necessary fees, but asserted that "the four allegations against the governor 'fail to meet any of the listed grounds for recall—neglect of duty, incompetence, or lack of fitness'". The petitioners stated that they would appeal the division's decision.^[8] In January 2020, Anchorage Superior Court Judge Eric Aarseth rejected the division's decision not to certify the recall petition. On May 8, 2020, the Alaska Supreme Court affirmed that the recall effort could go forward.^[9][10]

On February 18, 2021, the recall campaign announced they had reached 55,613 signatures out of the 71,252 required to submit the second petition to the Alaska Division of Elections.^[11] As of August 21, 2021, they had collected 62,373 signatures out of the 71,252 according to the website.^[12]

Campaign[]

On March 18, 2021, Governor Dunleavy said he believed the recall election would occur in the summer of 2021 and he planned to campaign to remain in office.^[13]

Polling[]

Dunleavy recall[]

Graphical summary

Notes[]

Partisan clients

References[]