Recall Dunleavy group gathering signatures for next phase of campaign

The recall group must gather 71,252 signatures.

By Victoria Petersen • February 26, 2020 1:30 am
Members of the Recall Dunleavy group are close to achieving their goal for signatures, with only about 20,000 signatures remaining as of Jan. 19, 2021. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file)
Members of the Recall Dunleavy group are close to achieving their goal for signatures, with only about 20,000 signatures remaining as of Jan. 19, 2021. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file)

The group organizing an effort to recall Gov. Mike Dunleavy is kicking off events across the state for the second round of required signatures.

The recall group is now in phase two of the process and must gather 71,252 signatures. When those signatures are collected an election or special election will be scheduled, during which Alaskans can vote whether or not they wish to recall the governor.

Earlier this month, the state Supreme Court allowed for the Recall Dunleavy group to begin the next phase of signature gathering.

Last week, Stand Tall With Mike, a group legally opposing the recall effort, dropped its court fight with the state Supreme Court saying “further participation would not be a productive use of its resources.”

In Alaska, grounds for recall are lack of fitness, incompetence, neglect of duties or corruption. Recall Dunleavy, which was fueled in part by deep budget cuts Dunleavy made last year, says the governor violated the constitution when he didn’t appoint a judge in the required time frame, misused state funds for partisan online ads and mailers and improperly used veto power to “attack the judiciary.”

Official petition booklets have been mailed out to communities around the state. This weekend there will be three major kickoff events in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau.

In Soldotna, residents interested in signing the petition can visit conference room A of the Soldotna Library from 3:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, and 2 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29. On Sunday, March 1 residents can sign the petition from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Everything Bagels in Soldotna.

In Homer, residents can find a petition to sign from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29 and then from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, March 2 through Sunday, March 8 at the log cabin in front of the property at 3756 Lake Street.

In Seward, there will be a petition to sign from noon to 4 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 28 through March 1 at the Ranting Raven.

Recall supporters can visit the group’s website to find other locations to sign the petition, events and more information at recalldunleavy.org.