Snyder Recall Effort Clears First Hurdle

LANSING (WWJ/AP) - The latest attempt to recall Governor Rick Snyder moves forward, now that the Washtenaw County Election Commission has voted to approve the newest petition language.

A three-person election panel voted 2-1 Monday that a petition sponsored by a group called Michigan Rising has clear language. Supporters of recalling the Republican governor would next have to collect roughly 807,000 valid signatures to put the measure on a ballot.

An effort to recall Snyder fizzled last year, falling well short of the required signatures.

The Snyder administration has said it believes citizens will be more focused on recent economic and state budget improvements in Michigan than an effort to recall the governor.

WWJ's Vickie Thomas hit the streets to find out if residents in Metro Detroit communities would want to recall Snyder. Detroiter Dave Witfield said he supports the recall effort.

"Snyder doesn't really care about things happening in urban areas. I think he should be recalled because his priorities are not with us at all," he said.

But Orah Homes doesn't think the governor deserves to be booted out of office.

"What for? I mean, everything seems to be going pretty smooth to me. I haven't had any problems so, I can't complain," she said.

No Michigan governor has ever been recalled from office.

An effort to recall Snyder's predecessor, Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm, fizzled in 2009. A 1983 effort to recall Democratic Gov. James Blanchard after he pushed through an income tax increase to deal with the budget deficit also failed to get on the ballot after supporters couldn't collect enough signatures.

Nationally, only two governors have ever been recalled – California Gov. Gray Davis in 2003 and North Dakota Gov. Lynn Frazier in 1921.

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