The campaign to Fire Rick Snyder

There was apparently a big push today in the petition drive to recall Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. According to Daily Kos Campaign Director Chris Bowers, the organization on the ground, which now numbers some 4,000 volunteers and 80 county captains, is beginning to gain momentum. Most noteworthy among the recent announcements is the fact that the Michigan Education Association has joined the effort and launched an online campaign to rally its 155,000 members. It’s hard to tell, however, how well they’re doing, as campaign organizers aren’t stating how close they are to getting the 800,00 signatures they need to get Snyder’s recall in front of Michigan’s voters. And, as all of the signatures need to be collected by August 5, they’re running out of time. But, I suspect it’s a positive sign that Daily Kos and others are beginning to invest more heavily in the state. They must, it seems to me, think it’s achievable. (Daily Kos just announced that they’ve retained the grassroots organizing firm Field Works to assist with the final leg of the campaign.) I still have my doubts as to whether this is the right strategy, but I’m encouraged to know that people are beginning to see the Republican agenda for what it really is and take action.

So, did you see anyone in a Fire Rick Snyder t-shirt out today, and, if so, did you sign their petition?

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12 Comments

  1. Katherine L
    Posted July 9, 2011 at 9:14 pm | Permalink

    Does anyone know if there are plans to have a person out in Ypsi today, collecting signatures? I’ve decided to sign.

  2. Posted July 10, 2011 at 10:27 am | Permalink

    there are people with petitions outisde the Elvis fest on the Cross st side, and probably on the Michigan side too, or at least there were Fri.

  3. Patrick K.
    Posted July 10, 2011 at 10:46 am | Permalink

    I spoke with a couple of folks that were taking signatures in the parking lot of the old Ypsi-Arbor lanes (corner of Golfside and Washtenaw). They said they are at the farmers market in Ypsi on Saturday and Tuesday, and at the Ann Arbor farmers market on Saturdays. They also said they will be at the Ypsi-Arbor lot at least once a week, so keep you eyes peeled!

  4. Walt
    Posted July 10, 2011 at 11:10 am | Permalink

    I heard someone was in the parking lot of the Corner trying to collect signatures on Saturday but was chased away.

  5. TaterSalad
    Posted July 10, 2011 at 11:36 am | Permalink

    There is a huge effort for taxpayers to vote NO on these petitions and rightfully so. The entitlement crowd is pandering for a YES vote so they can enjoy living off the dime of the working person…………….typical isn’t it?

  6. Jules
    Posted July 10, 2011 at 11:44 am | Permalink

    I’m happy to report that while I was in Bay City last week, on three separate occasions, I saw recall tables set up in parking lots, each with people stopping to sign.

  7. Posted July 10, 2011 at 12:39 pm | Permalink

    Tater, don’t you live entirely off the state?

  8. TaterSalad
    Posted July 10, 2011 at 1:56 pm | Permalink

    Barack Obama has just been endorsed by the Communist Party of the United States and he accepts the endorsement for the 2012 election. These are the same type of people who are against Rick Snyder while supporting Obama. Pathetic!

    http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/congrats-communist-party-usa-endorses-barack-obama-and-democrats-for-2012-election/question-1933733/

  9. Knox
    Posted July 10, 2011 at 2:06 pm | Permalink

    That’s funny Walt.

    As for the recall, can someone tell me what happens, assuming they get enough signatures, and it goes on the ballot, and the voters of Michigan choose to throw him out? Is there a special election called? And, prior to that, does the Lt. Governor fill in, serving as Governor?

  10. Knox
    Posted July 10, 2011 at 2:08 pm | Permalink

    Context for Walt’s comment, for those who aren’t up to speed on the Corner’s support for Snyder, can be found here:

    http://markmaynard.com/?p=13590

  11. Posted July 10, 2011 at 9:49 pm | Permalink

    Knox: If the petition has enough signatures, then the question of the recall goes on the next scheduled election date (but must be within 95 days of petition filing). If the recall is successful (“yes” votes exceed “no” votes), he must immediately vacate the office. A special election to fill the vacancy is held on the next scheduled election date. (The firericksnyder.org website says the election must be within 60 days, and that the Lieutenant Governor serves as acting Governor during that time, but I can’t find support for either statement anywhere else.)

  12. Megan
    Posted July 11, 2011 at 10:06 am | Permalink

    cmadler – that’s not entirely true. That is what I had heard and it’s what happened in California and it was what I was telling people while gathering signatures on the petitions I had, but I started talking to a Republican about this and he started sending websites that stated that a special recall for a new person is true for all elected officials except for Governor. For Governor, the line of succession is specific and is spelled out in the Michigan Constitution. Naturally, I didn’t believe him (Republican!) but I did start looking into it myself. I kept finding everything that the FireRickSnyder people were saying – which is what happened in California – which is what you have written down AND exceptions for Governor.

    In the end, I found documentation online that stated both paths – a recall vote and then a special election as well as a recall vote and the Lt Gov finishes the term. In an effort to confirm the actual truth, I emailed the Michigan Election Commission (elections@michigan.gov), assuming they had some credibility in this area. Before you start calling me a troll like the FireRickSnyder people did, email them yourself and ask them if you don’t believe me or think that “Melissa” is some invisible friend of mine – I’m posting the email exchange below – note you have to start at the bottom and work your way back up b/c there are two replies from the original:
    ********************
    As I said, if a sufficient number of petition signatures are turned in, there WOULD be an election to determine whether the Governor should be recalled. See thread below (“To answer your question, if a person files a sufficient number of petition signatures (over 800,000) to trigger the recall of the governor, an election would be held to determine whether he should be recalled.”) Turning in a sufficient petition, by itself, does not vacate the office.

    In the typical situation, there could be two elections: one to determine whether the elected official should be recalled, and a second to fill the vacancy if the first results in the elected official’s recall. The Governor is different in that his succession plan is spelled out in the constitution – if the office becomes vacant due to “conviction of the governor on impeachment, his removal from office, his resignation or his death [,]” the Lieutenant Governor assumes office as Governor.

    ________________________________________
    From: Megan Turf [mailto:mturf@isr.umich.edu]
    Sent: Friday, June 24, 2011 8:17 AM
    To: Malerman, Melissa
    Subject: RE: Governor Recall

    Hi,

    Thank you for your response.

    I’m a little confused though. Am I hearing you say you don’t know whether there would be an election or whether the Lt. Governor would take over?

    Regardless of whether a recall has ever been successful or not, surely the Bureau of Elections would know what happens next? If the recall is successful, who would make the decision as to what happens next since it isn’t spelled out very clearly in the constitution?

    Thanks!
    Megan

    From: Malerman, Melissa [mailto:malermanm@michigan.gov]
    Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2011 5:46 PM
    To: Megan Turf
    Subject: RE: Governor Recall

    Megan,

    As you have recognized, the state election law and State Constitution govern the recall process in Michigan. A recall petition that is deemed to contain a sufficient number of signatures triggers an election at least 95 days after the filing of the petition. MCL 168.963. To answer your question, if a person files a sufficient number of petition signatures (over 800,000) to trigger the recall of the governor, an election would be held to determine whether he should be recalled.

    In an ordinary recall election, a special election is scheduled to fill the vacancy if the elected official is recalled. MCL 168.971. However, the State Constitution provides for succession “[i]n case of the conviction of the governor on impeachment, his removal from office, his resignation or his death [.]” MI Const Art V, §26.
    Because no recall attempt involving a Michigan governor has ever been successful, I’m afraid I can’t speculate on whether a special election would be called to fill the vacancy or whether the Lieutenant Governor would assume the office of Governor.

    Sincerely,

    Melissa Malerman
    Bureau of Elections
    Michigan Secretary of State
    http://www.michigan.gov/elections

    ________________________________________
    From: Megan Turf [mailto:mturf@isr.umich.edu]
    Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2011 1:01 PM
    To: SOS, Elections
    Subject: Governor Recall

    Hello,

    I am getting some conflicting information regarding the post process if enough valid recall signatures are collected.

    http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Article_V,_Michigan_Constitution#Section_26 says that Lt. Gov will take over the remainder of Governor Snyder’s term.

    However, http://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/Recall_Procedures2_211779_7.pdf indicates that there will be a special election.

    Can you please tell me what will happen if enough valid signatures are collected for the recall?

    Thanks!
    Megan

    *********************************
    Megan E. Turf
    Research Area Specialist Associate
    University of Michigan
    Health and Retirement Study
    Office: (734) 615-4704
    Email: mturf@isr.umich.edu

    “Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go;
    they merely determine where you start.” – Nido Qubein

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  1. […] weekend, I posted something here on the site about the ongoing effort to recall Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. In the ensuing conversation, someone asked what exactly would happen, assuming everything went as […]

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