Bob Ryan recall, Sheboygan, Wisconsin (2012)
| Sheboygan Mayor recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| Recall election date |
| January 17, 2012 |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2012 Recalls in Wisconsin Wisconsin recall laws Mayoral recalls Recall reports |
A vote about whether to recall Bob Ryan from his elected position as mayor of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, took place during the primary election on January 17, 2012.[1] Ryan was the top vote recipient in the recall primary, but because he did not receive 50 percent of the vote, he faced second-place finisher Terry Van Akkeren in a general recall election on February 21, 2012.[2] Ryan was recalled, and Van Akkeren replaced him as mayor.[3] The recall effort was launched in August 2011.[4]
Recall vote
Recall primary election results
The recall primary took place on January 17, 2012. Ryan and Van Akkeren advanced to a general recall election held on February 21st, 2012.[5]
- Bob Ryan: 3,225
- Terry Van Akkeren: 2,567
- Roberta Filicky-Peneski: 1,595
- Randy Schwoerer: 1,507
- Jean Kittelson: 480
- Erik G. Neave: 289
- Mark Hermann: 103
- Asher Heimermann: 38
Recall general election results
In the recall general election on February 21, 2012, Terry Van Akkeren defeated Bob Ryan.[6]
- Votes for Terry Van Akkeren: 6,004
- Votes for Bob Ryan: 5,247
Background
Ryan was elected mayor of Sheboygan in 2009. After becoming the city's mayor, he was involved in three alcohol-related incidents.[4] Ryan faced two counts of misdemeanor sexual assault stemming from a July 2011 incident in Elkhart Lake. While investigating these counts, a prosecutor discovered that an Elkhart Lake woman made a fourth-degree sexual assault allegation against Ryan. An investigation revealed that the city made a $310,000 settlement with a former employee who accused Ryan of sexual harassment.[7]
Ryan owed $79,189 in back taxes for a gas station that he owned at the time of the election. Recall supporter Mary Jo Stoelb said, “He’s touting that increasing (tax) revenue is the answer, but what happens when businesses don’t pay their share of property taxes?”[8]
Ryan told media that he was seeking help for his alcoholism and declined to resign. In addition to the recall effort, the city council considered an official removal process. In response, Ryan's attorney, Dwight Darrow, suggested in a letter to the Sheboygan City Council that the mayor may have been protected from dismissal by the council because alcoholism is covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act: "I urge those taking action to carefully consider the ramifications of pursuing a job action against a city employee for conduct that is not inherently related to the performance of that person’s official duties."[9][10] In December 2011, the Sheboygan Common Council voted 12-2 to suspend their investigation into Ryan's behavior, pending results of the recall election.[11]
Recall supporters
Kevin MatiChek, a member of the Sheboygan City Council, supported the recall. He said a recall would "save the integrity of the mayor’s office for our great city."[4][12]
Recall supporter Mary Jo Stoelb said, "Now is not the time to be satisfied with the status quo in Sheboygan politics. Help us take pride in Sheboygan and send the mayor a message that his embarrassing and unprofessional behavior will not be tolerated."[13]
Ryan formally challenged the recall group's statement of intent for removing him from office, which was "to preserve the integrity of (the) Mayor's office of Sheboygan."[14] The city clerk denied Ryan's challenge and ruled that the recall petitions were sufficient.[15]
In February 2012, former Sheboygan mayor Juan Perez wrote an editorial in the Sheboygan Press voicing his support for Terry Van Akkeren. Perez said, "I supported Ryan when he ran for mayor. I regret I did."[16]
Path to the ballot
A total of 4,121 signatures were required to force a recall election. The signature submission deadline was November 1, 2011.[17]
Mary Jo Stoelb, a recall organizer, said on September 23 that the recall effort had collected about 1,200 signatures.[18] On October 13, Stoelb reported that the recall effort had collected approximately 2,700 signatures. She said recall proponents had run out of resources and neede additional help to collect the necessary signatures by the recall deadline.[17] On October 18, it was reported that recall proponents had gathered 3,025 signatures.[13]
On November 1, recall organizers submitted 4,723 signatures to the Sheboygan City Clerk. The city clerk was given 31 days to review and validate the signatures. Ryan had 10 days to challenge the validity of signatures.[12]
On December 1, City Clerk Sue Richards announced that 4,481 signatures were found valid. This was 360 signatures more than were required to force a recall election.[19] On December 5th, the Sheboygan City Council accepted the city clerk's report on the signatures and scheduled a recall primary election for January 17th, 2012.[20]
Candidates in the mayoral race had to file nomination petitions by December 20. Nine candidates filed paperwork including former state representative Terry Van Akkeren, 18-year-old high school senior Asher Heimermann, Alderman Jean Kittelson, Harbor Centre Business Improvement District Manager Randy Schwoerer, Sarah Oyler, Alderman Kevin MatiChek, Roberta Flicky-Peneski, Brian Biever, and Mark Hermann.[21]
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Pierce County Herald, "Recall scheduled against Sheboygan mayor," December 6, 2011
- ↑ WISN.com, "Sheboygan Mayoral Election Results - FINAL," January 17, 2012
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Van Akkeren defeats Ryan for Sheboygan mayor," February 21, 2012
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 WTAQ, "Process to recall Sheboygan mayor Bob Ryan underway," August 22, 2011
- ↑ Sheboygan Press, "Candidates had fun running for mayor," January 18, 2012
- ↑ Sheboygan Press, "Sheboygan mayoral recall: Mayor Bob Ryan ousted from office by challenger Terry Van Akkeren," February 21, 2012
- ↑ WTMJ, "New allegation against Sheboygan mayor," December 17, 2011
- ↑ Sheboygan Press, "Sheboygan Mayor Bob Ryan criticized by recall group for back taxes; Ryan dismisses as political attack," February 10, 2012
- ↑ WHBL, "Mayor's Attorney Weighs In," September 14, 2011
- ↑ Journal Sentinel Online, "Sheboygan mayor says he won't resign," August 30, 2011
- ↑ Sheboygan Press, "Sheboygan Mayor Bob Ryan may face two sex assault charges; council suspends special investigation," December 19, 2011
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Sheboygan Press, "Sheboygan Mayor Bob Ryan recall group turns in 4,723 signatures," November 1, 2011
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Sheboygan Press, "Sheboygan Mayor Bob Ryan recall hits 3,000 signatures," October 18, 2011
- ↑ Sheboygan Press, "Sheboygan Mayor Ryan contests recall effort," November 12, 2011
- ↑ FOX 6, "Sheboygan City Clerk says Mayor Ryan recall petition is sufficient," November 30, 2011
- ↑ Sheboygan Press, "Community Conversation by former Mayor Juan Perez: Give Sheboygan new start in recall election," February 16, 2012
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Fox 11, "Deadline looms for Sheboygan mayor recall," October 13, 2011
- ↑ Channel 3000, "Sheboygan Mayor Recall Organizers Collect 1,200 Signatures," September 23, 2011
- ↑ Sheboygan Press, "4,481 Mayor Bob Ryan recall signatures ruled valid," December 1, 2011
- ↑ 620 WTMJ, "Sheboygan Mayor Bob Ryan officially headed for recall," December 5, 2011
- ↑ Sheboygan Press, "Two more to challenge Sheboygan Mayor Bob Ryan in recall election," December 6, 2011
 |
State of Wisconsin Madison (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2024 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Regierung |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |
