Already got something going on. Mrs. Reeves, if you are still keeping up with this discussion board, I want you to know you have the support of one local yokel. And every other yokel I know wants you to keep up the good work!

We're planning on being there.

Just thinking out loud. What are the procedures for recalling an elected official--say the county mayor? Three years is a long time before the next election. Wonder if WPR would be interested in the job?

That's an interesting question.

I believe there has to be a recall provision in the county charter. (Knox County does not have one).

Then I believe State Law requires a recall petition to be filed with the Election Commission. The petition then has to be signed by, I believe, 15% of the registered voters in the county.

So, does the Blount Co. Charter have a recall petition? Does anybody know where there's a copy of it online?

State of TN Code

(link...)

6-31-306. City council member — Removal. —

(a) Any council member of the city elected or appointed to fill a vacancy under this charter may be removed from office by the voters.

(b) The procedure to effect the removal of the incumbent shall be as follows:

(1) A petition, by registered voters equal in number to at least sixty-six percent (66%) of the total vote cast for the office held by the incumbent at the last regular election, demanding the recall of the person sought to be removed shall be filed with the county election commission, and notice given by the commission of such filing by publication at least once in the official city newspaper, which petition shall contain a general statement of the grounds upon which the removal is sought. The signatures to the petition need not all be appended to one (1) paper, but each signer shall sign such signer's name, and shall place thereon, after such signer's name, the date of signing and such signer's place of residence by street and number, or by other customary designation;

(2) To each petition paper there shall be attached a sworn affidavit by the circulator thereof stating the number of signers thereto, that each signature thereon is the genuine signature of the person whose name it purports to be, and that it was made in the presence of the affiant;

(3) Such petition shall be filed with the county election commission, which shall, within fifteen (15) days, canvass the signatures thereon to determine the sufficiency thereof;

(4) A separate petition shall be filed for each person sought to be removed; and

(5) The county election commission shall attach to such petition its certificate showing the result of the examination.

(c) If the county election commission's certificate shows that the petition is sufficient, the commission shall call an election on the question of recall.

[Acts 1959, ch. 140, § 1; 1972, ch. 740, § 4(57); T.C.A., § 6-3120.]

6-31-306 deals with municipal/city governments.

2-5-151 says "Any governmental entity having a charter provision for a petition for recall, referendum or initiative or any person acting pursuant to such charter provision shall meet the requirements of this section."

County government is spelled out in Article VII of the Tennessee Constitution. A county does not have to have a charter, it's optional.

So, I'm embarrassed to admit that I don't even know if Blount County has a charter, or if it operates under Article VII. Does anybody know?

If Blount County does not have a charter, or if it has a charter and there is no recall provision, 2-5-151 does not apply. In which case there is no way to recall an elected official by petition and recall election.

I think what your are looking for is in Title VIII:

8-47-101. Officers subject to removal — Grounds. —

Every person holding any office of trust or profit, under and by virtue of any of the laws of the state, either state, county, or municipal, except such officers as are by the constitution removable only and exclusively by methods other than those provided in this chapter, who shall knowingly or willfully commit misconduct in office, or who shall knowingly or willfully neglect to perform any duty enjoined upon such officer by any of the laws of the state, or who shall in any public place be in a state of intoxication produced by strong drink voluntarily taken, or who shall engage in any form of illegal gambling, or who shall commit any act constituting a violation of any penal statute involving moral turpitude, shall forfeit such office and shall be ousted from such office in the manner hereinafter provided.

The "manners hereinafter provided" include:

• The state attorney general, district attorneys general, county attorneys, and city attorneys may all prosecute an ouster independently on their own without there being a formal complaint.

• Those same entities are required to investigate any written formal citizen complaint, and if reasonable cause is found must initiate proceedings.

• The governor is duty bound to direct an ouster investigation and and prosecution if he/she has knowledge of reasonable cause.

• Ten citizens can get together and file a recall petition in the name of the state. Not exactly clear on how this works.

(I could be wrong. I am not a lawyer and I don't play one on the internets. We need a pro here...)

EDIT: Just to be clear, I'm not advocating recall or ouster of anybody. I just found it to be an interesting question and was curious from a technical standpoint. I can't recall a successful recall or ouster. I imagine the bar is set pretty high, as it should be.

Not to be negative, but I think if there was a way to relieve ourselves of a mayor who hadn't blatantly broken big popular laws, someone would have found it during the tenure of Mayor Woodruff.

Here's a letter of support from Linda King for the Commissioners who ask the big questions: (link...)