Anatomy of a Recall, Part 1

I have lived in a wonderful, small, rural township at the base of Michigan's Thumb for the past 22 years. Many things are exactly as they were when I moved in. We still have the Flea Market twice a week in the summer and the biggest little agricultural Fair around every August. For Holly Days, local farmers string Christmas lights (and we still call them Christmas lights) on their combines and parade them down Main Street. In so many ways, this is a 'It's A Wonderful Life' kind of town. I love that.

Many other things have changed dramatically over the years. One of the more unfortunate changes occurred at the election last November, when our Township Board was turned upside down. The five members of our Board have been in office exactly six months and a recall campaign against three of them is already in progress.

How bad can it get in just six months? Well...pretty bad. There are a number of issues prompting the locals, including myself, to get angry and involved. In my next installment, I'll detail the impetus for the recall movement and the steps necessary to get it started. As it progresses, I will update the series so you will be able to see the process from start to finish.