Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson recall petition: What to know
SEATTLE - Two people in Seattle have submitted a petition to recall Mayor Katie Wilson, alleging she has "neglected her legal duty to maintain public safety and peace."
The recall petition comes amid a slew of city controversies, the latest being the continued fallout from the deadly Bite of Seattle shooting, and the forced resignation of Police Chief Shon Barnes.
Melinda Jacobson and Dale Osterud filed the recall petition with the King County Elections Office on Tuesday, Aug. 11, alleging that Wilson is "derelict in her duties for public safety" of the City of Seattle.
What's in the recall petition?
The recall petition points to five specific events: the forced resignation of then-Police Chief Shon Barnes, shootings and sex trafficking in the North Aurora neighborhood, crime and drug use in the Chinatown International District, crime in Belltown and the deactivation of CCTV cameras for police use around the city.
Dig deeper:
The filing outlines safety issues across several Seattle areas, including North Aurora, Chinatown International District, Belltown and Third Avenue.
In North Aurora, residents reported sex trafficking, prostitution and gun battles putting bullets through homes and businesses between January and June. Neighbors installed temporary gunfire barriers that the mayor had removed on June 6, though SDOT later placed trial barriers after a June 30 meeting.
In Chinatown-International District, residents asked for action against open-air drug sales at 12th Avenue and Jackson following recent shootings and stabbings. The document also notes security cameras near Garfield High School and Capitol Hill remain unactivated despite receiving federal grant funding.
Jacobson and Osterud claim these continuing issues have "created chaos" and "show a lack of fiscal responsibility."
What's next for recall petition?
It is not clear if Wilson's office has responded to the petition yet.
According to the King County Elections Office, recall charges must undergo a technical review by the Prosecuting Attorney's Office. Elections officials say this is where the recall effort is currently.
If it meets the technical requirements, a ballot synopsis is written and filed with the King County Superior Court, where a judge will determine if the charges meet the bar of malfeasance.
If county prosecutors and a Superior Court judge both approve, then proponents will have 180 days to gather signatures to qualify a recall election for the ballot. Once this occurs, it goes back to the elections office for verification.
Elections officials note that most recall efforts do not make it past the steps to reach the petition phase, though some still go out to gather signatures.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from a recall charge document filed with King County Elections.