Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson recall chaos: Major deadline missed
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson responds to recall efforts
A court date has been set for a judge to review recall charges against Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, though she says she will not attend the hearing.
SEATTLE - An effort to recall Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson hit a critical hurdle Thursday in King County Superior Court after petitioners missed a key procedural deadline.
A hearing scheduled for Aug. 27 at 1:30 p.m. will evaluate why petitioners failed to meet the Aug. 26 noon deadline and determine whether the recall petition will be allowed to proceed or be dismissed entirely.
Keep reading to learn more about the recall effort and Wilson's reactions to it.
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson recall charges
What we know:
Two Seattle residents, Melinda Jacobson and Dale Osterud, filed a formal recall charge against Mayor Wilson on Aug. 11 with the King County Elections Office.
The filing alleges that Wilson has "neglected her legal duty to maintain public safety and peace" and is "derelict in her duties". The recall push comes following a series of public safety controversies, including the fallout from a deadly mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle event and the subsequent forced resignation of Seattle police Chief Shon Barnes.
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Under Washington state process, recall charges undergo initial judicial review in Superior Court to determine whether allegations meet statutory standards — specifically whether the elected official committed acts of malfeasance or misfeasance — and whether the proposed ballot summary is legally sufficient.
What Mayor Katie Wilson is saying in response to the recall
What they're saying:
Mayor Wilson previously confirmed she would not personally attend civil court proceedings regarding the petition, opting instead to have legal counsel represent her.
"That is a legal process that we'll be playing out," Wilson said during a public appearance on Aug. 19. "I'm focused on leading the city and on making it an affordable place for people to live and that's the work that we're here to discuss today."
What we don't know:
It remains uncertain why the petitioners missed the Aug. 26 noon filing deadline. The court noted that Thursday’s proceeding will give petitioners an opportunity to explain the delay.
It is also unclear whether the court will grant an extension or if Thursday's session will mark the final court proceeding for the recall effort.
What will happen at the Aug. 27 court hearing?
What's next:
If the judge determines the missed deadline invalidates the petition, the legal challenge will end.
If the judge allows the case to proceed and finds the recall charges legally sufficient, the petition will enter the signature-gathering phase.
To place a recall measure on a local ballot, organizers must gather thousands of certified signatures from registered Seattle voters within a 180-day window.
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The Source: Information in this story came from King County Superior Court statements, FOX 13 Seattle reporting and public statements from Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson.