Please note: Over the next few days, the Amarillo Pioneer’s Editorial Board will be publishing recommendations for various races. In some races where multiple seats are up for grabs, recommendations may be spread out over several days. Please stay tuned to our website for recommendations and for a final list, which will be published next week.
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The Amarillo Pioneer Editorial Board recommends voting FOR the City of Amarillo’s Proposition D.
One of the most broken features of our current city charter is the recall process. Currently, a person seeking to recall an elected city official must collect signatures from 30% of registered voters in the city. Once they begin collecting signatures, they only have 30 days to collect the signatures. Additionally, of those who sign, at least one-fifth must certify that they voted for the person they are now seeking to recall. These requirements can make it virtually (and sometimes mathematically) impossible to successfully recall a member of the council, especially given the low turnout often seen in city elections.
Even if a petitioner somehow collected enough valid signatures, the current system might leave the petition in limbo. There is currently no charter-specified deadline for verification of signatures by the city, something which stands in stark contrast to the well-defined and clear language of the referendum petition process.
The proposed changes included in Proposition D aim to fix all of these issues. The threshold for the number of signatures is reduced to 30% of the number of votes cast in the election at which the target of the recall was elected. The time to collect signatures has been expanded to sixty days, and the absurd requirement that those signing certify they voted for the person they are seeking to recall will be removed.
The proposition also sets out a clear timeline, giving the City Secretary 21 days to verify signatures.
The only portion of the amendment which gave our board pause is the fact that there would be a lock-out period preventing a recall in the first or final six months of a term of office. Not only is this limitation extreme, but the definition of “end of term” is somewhat vague.
While Proposition D is not perfect, it is a massive improvement over the current recall provision. As the only proposition on the ballot that unequivocally hands power back to the voters, we strongly support its passage.
Election Day is November 5th. Early voting begins on October 21st.
Please note: An editorial board recommendation does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Amarillo Pioneer’s advertisers or staff. A recommendation of one candidate does not represent a criticism of other candidates running unless otherwise stated. Recommendations may be offered in additional races.