State Election Board halts McGee recall election

Alderman Michael McGee, Jr. won a temporary victory Wednesday when the state Election Board voted to block a recall election against him that was slated for the February primary elections.

The Election Board vote was 6-3 to block the recall election that would have pitted McGee against several decleared candidates, among them ViAnna Jordan, who led the recall petition drive, and Una Duvall, a former Department of City Development employee.

The Election Board voted to block the recall election because the Election Commission had “abused its discretion” in certifying the signatures for the recall. The matter was sent back to the Election Commission for further review.

It was revealed that the commission made its decisions on individual signatures while meeting in a five-hour closed session in which they were to only receive general legal advice.

The Board’s attorney added that the Commission could not disqualify signatures without specific evidence of fraud or other problems with the peitions. Election Commission members reportedly admitted they felt additional signatures could be invalid, but couldn’t make an accurate determination on that until they heard further testimony.  Because McGee had to prove the signatures were not valid, the commission didn’t call Jordan and other petition circulators to testify.

Two weeks ago, the city Election Commission approved the recall peitions after McGee failed to show sufficient evidence that enough recall signatures were invalid. --by MCJ Staff

The commission must now decide how it will proceed after the Election Boards ruling.