The Working of the Recall in Seattle
| Author | Fred Wayne Catlett |
| Published date | 01 September 1912 |
| Date | 01 September 1912 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/000271621204300115 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
(227)
THE
WORKING
OF
THE
RECALL
IN
SEATTLE
BY
FRED
WAYNE
CATLETT,
Secretary
to
the
Mayor
of
Seattle.
Diligent
historians
may
be
able
to
discover
that
the
principle
of
the
recall
is
not
new,
but
was
known
and
employed
centuries
ago.
For
practical
purposes,
however,
it
is
exact
enough
to
say
that
the
recall
is
a
new
political
device.
As
such,
it
has
aroused
the
interest
not
only
of
students
of
government,
but
of
citizens
in
all
parts
of
the
country.
It
is
the
awakened
interest
of
these
increasing
classes
which
justifies
the
present
description
of
this
new
device
at
work
in
Seattle.
Fortunately
for
the
brevity
of
this
discussion,
the
simplicity
of
the
recall
section
of
the
Seattle
charter
renders
an
explanation
of
its
provisions
comparatively
easy. &dquo;A
petition
signed
by
voters
entitled
to
vote
for
a
successor
to
the
incumbent
equal
in
number
to
at
least
twenty-five
per
centum
of
the
entire
vote
for
all
candidates
for
the
oflice,
the
incumbent
of
which
is
sought
to
be
removed,
cast
at
the
last
preceding
general
municipal
election,
demanding
an
election
of
a
suc-
cessor
of
the
person
to
be
removed,&dquo;
must
be
filed
with
the
city
comp-
troller,
who
is
ex-oflicio
city
clerk.
The
petition
must
bear &dquo;
a
general
statement
of
the
grounds
for
which
removal
is
sought.&dquo;
&dquo;The
sig-
natures
need
not
be
appended
to
one
paper,
but
each
signer
shall
add
to
his
signature
his
place
of
residence,
giving
the
street
and
number.&dquo;
&dquo;Any
person
competent
to
make
affidavit
may
circulate&dquo;
the
petition
and
&dquo; shall
make
oath
before
an
officer
competent
to
administer
oaths
that
the
statements
therein
made
are
true,
and
that
each
signature
to
the
paper
appended
is
the
genuine
signature
of
the
person
whose
name
purports
to
be
thereunto
subscribed.&dquo;
Ten
days
are
allowed
the
city
clerk
to
&dquo;check&dquo;
the
signatures
by
comparing
them
with
the
signatures
in
the
registration
books.
After
the
comparison,
he
must
attach
a
certificate &dquo; showing
the
result
of
the
examination.
&dquo;
If
this
certificate
pronounces
the
petition &dquo;insufficient,&dquo;
ten
days
are
allowed
for
the
filing
of
a
supplemental
petition.
If
such
a
petition
is
filed,
the
clerk
has
ten
days
more
to
check
it.
His
certificate
then
is
final.
If
he
declares
the
petition &dquo;insufficient,&dquo;
it
is
returned
to
the
person
filing
it
&dquo;without
orejudice
to
the
filing
of
a
new
petition.&dquo;
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