Opinion ID: 621131
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Washington's Recall Procedure

Text: Washington provides its electorate with an elaborate procedure for recalling elected officials. According to Washington's constitution, elected officials may be recalled for malfeasance, misfeasance or a violation of their oaths of office. See Wash. Const. art. I, §§ 33, 34. A voter who wishes to recall an elected official must prepare a typewritten charge naming the official and providing a detailed description of the grounds for recall. See Wash. Rev.Code § 29A.56.110. Recall charges are filed with the county auditor, and the county's prosecuting attorney then prepares a ballot synopsis, which sets forth the name of the person charged, the title of the office and the elements of the charge. See id. §§ 29A.56.120, 29A.56.130. Within 15 days thereafter, the superior court conducts a hearing to decide (1) whether or not the acts stated in the charge satisfy the criteria for which a recall petition may be filed [i.e., the sufficiency of the charges], and (2) the adequacy of the ballot synopsis. Id. § 29A.56.140. The person demanding recall and the person subject to the recall may appear before the court with counsel and may appeal an adverse decision to the Washington Supreme Court. See id. If the charges are held to be sufficient, the recall proponents begin to collect signatures from registered voters who support the petition. To recall a county official whose county has a population of 40,000 or more, proponents must collect a number of signatures equal to twenty-five percent of the total number of votes cast for all candidates for the office to which the officer whose recall is demanded was elected at the preceding election. Id. § 29A.56.180(1). They have 180 days to collect these signatures following court approval of the ballot synopsis. See id. § 29A.56.150(2). If proponents collect the required number of signatures, the auditor must fix a date for a special election to determine whether or not the officer charged shall be recalled and discharged from office. Id. § 29A.56.210. The election must be held not less than forty-five nor more than sixty days from the time that the signatures are verified. Id. If the recall is successful, the recalled official must vacate his or her office and the appropriate state legislative body will appoint a successor to fill the position until the next general election. See id. §§ 29A.56.260, 36.16.110. The statutory provision challenged here prohibits contributions of more than $800 to a political committee making expenditures in a recall campaign. See id. § 42.17A.405(3). [1] , [2] This limit applies to monetary and in-kind contributions alike. See id. § 42.17A.005(15)(c) (Contributions other than money or its equivalent are deemed to have a monetary value equivalent to the fair market value of the contribution. . . and count[ ] towards any applicable contribution limit of the provider.). [3]