§ 25-4322 — Petitions for recall of local officers; filing of copy before circulation; notice on matters relating to recall; determination of sufficiency of petition, procedure; commencement of proceedings concerning recall elections, time limits on

(a) Before any petition for recall of a local officer is circulated, a copy thereof accompanied by names and addresses of the recall committee and sponsors shall be filed in the office of the county election officer with whom the petitions are required to be filed. The copy of the petition so filed shall be subscribed by the members of the recall committee in the presence of such county election officer. The recall committee shall represent all sponsors and subscribers in matters relating to the recall. Notice on all matters pertaining to the recall may be served on any member of the recall committee in person or by mail addressed to a committee member as indicated on the petition so filed. The county election officer, upon request, shall notify the recall committee of the official number of votes cast for all candidates for the office of the local officer sought to be recalled, such percentage to be based upon the last general election for the current term of office of the officer sought to be recalled.
(b) Before any petition for recall of a local officer is circulated, the county election officer shall transmit a copy of such petition to the county or district attorney or to the attorney designated pursuant to subsection (c) for determination of the sufficiency of the grounds stated in the petition for recall. Within five business days of receipt of the copy of the petition from the county election officer, the county or district attorney or the attorney designated pursuant to subsection (c) shall make such determination and notify the county election officer, the officer sought to be recalled and the recall committee of such determination. Such determination shall include whether:
(1) The facts do not support the grounds for recall as stated in the petition for recall;
(2) the petition is not substantially in the required form;
(3) the petition was filed during the first 120 days of the term of office of the official sought to be recalled or within less than 180 days of the termination of the term of office of the officer sought to be recalled;
(4) the person named in the petition is not a local officer;
(5) there is an insufficient number of required signatures of any kind;
(6) the local officer sought to be recalled has been or is being subjected to another recall election during such officer's current term of office; or
(7) the application does not conform to any other requirement of this act.
(c) In the case of a recall of the county or district attorney, a judge of the district court of such county shall designate an attorney to determine the sufficiency of the grounds stated in the petition for recall. Such attorney shall perform the duties imposed on the county or district attorney in the recall of other local officers.
(d) All mandamus proceedings to compel a recall election and all injunction proceedings to restrain a recall election shall be commenced within 30 days after the county or district attorney's decision.

Legislative History

L. 1976, ch. 178, § 22; L. 1976, ch. 177, § 4; L. 1999, ch. 105, § 9; L. 2003, ch. 127, § 7; L. 2007, ch. 125, § 5; L. 2023, ch. 79, § 59; July 1.