Give Illinois voters power to recall elected officials 

8/12/2007

Daily Pantagraph

By the Pantagraph Editorial Board

Illinois should join the other 18 states that allow their citizens to recall politicians. The controversy and frustration swirling around Gov. Rod Blagojevich are not the reason Illinois needs a recall provision added to its Constitution. But his actions - or inaction - certainly are fueling the call for recall.

A recall provision is needed because sometimes the next regular election is too long to wait to replace a political leader who has become dysfunctional or is not fulfilling obligations to constituents.

We are not necessarily referring to Blagojevich. He could be out of office before the Constitution could be amended and a recall election could take place. Enacting a recall provision should proceed regardless of what one thinks about Blagojevich.

Identical proposals for constitutional amendments have been submitted in the House and Senate.

The Senate resolution for a constitutional amendment was introduced by state Sen. Dan Cronin, R-Elmhurst, on Monday and was shrugged off by the Blagojevich administration as partisan politics and a stunt.

While it is true that the sponsors of the Senate resolution are all Republicans from Northern Illinois, the House resolution was introduced by a Democrat from McHenry County, state Rep. Jack D. Franks.

And Franks introduced his measure nearly a week before the Republicans.

The proposed amendment would permit a recall of not only the governor but any elected members of the executive branch, legislators and judges.

For statewide office holders, a recall petition would need the signatures of at least 12 percent of the last vote for the office.

The signatures must come from at least five counties equal to at least 1 percent of the last vote for the office in the county. In other words, a single heavily populated county could not trigger a recall on its own.

Having a special recall election would be an expensive proposition. But having an official in office in whom the public has lost confidence can be costly in incalculable ways.

As noted in a guest commentary by state Sen. Dan Rutherford last Sunday, in those states with recall provision, the tool has been used rarely. There is no reason to believe Illinois would be different.

The hurdles to triggering a recall are significant. Then a majority of voters must agree to unseat the individual. Only two governors have been removed by recall in U.S. history.

The most recent instance was the recall of Calif. Gov. Gray Davis, who was replaced by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

It would be good for Illinois to have this process. Even if voters don't resort to a recall, knowing the option is there could make these public officials more responsive to the public.