Wisconsin orders recall election for three GOP state senators
by Tanya Somanader, Wonk Room, Think Progress, May 23, 2011
Despite massive protests, procedural obstacles, and restraining orders, the Wisconsin GOP hustled Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) anti-union bill into law in March. Now, they’re paying a steep political price. Democratic and labor activists launched an effort to recall six Republicans who supported crippling the right of public employees to collectively bargain.
They needed roughly 15,000 signatures to secure recall elections for each senator. In each case, “more than 21,000 signatures were gathered.” Today, the non-partisan state election officials announced the success of their efforts by ordering a recall election for state GOP Sens. Dan Kapanke, Randy Hopper and Luther Olsen on July 12:
The Wisconsin board that oversees elections rejected most challenges Monday to a recall effort targeting three Republican state senators, clearing the way for a July 12 election.
The Government Accountability Board [GAB] rejected the challenges made to recall petitions targeting Republican Sens. Dan Kapanke of La Crosse, Randy Hopper of Fond du Lac and Luther Olsen of Ripon.
Republicans argued that the campaigns improperly filed initial paperwork to launch the petition drive and that some signatures should not be counted, but the GAB rejected the arguments and, in the case of Kapanke, unanimously decided to order a recall election. The other GOP lawmakers facing recall elections are state Sens. Robert Cowles, Sheila Harsdorf, and Alberta Darling. The board will judge those petitions on May 31, “and likely would certify all the petitions that same week.”
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