Recall drive against Russell fails

A petition to recall Mountain Home Councilman Mark Russell failed to be turned in as the deadline to file the petition passed without notice.

Idaho Code allowed 75 days (until July 26 at 5 p.m.) from May 12, the day of the petition's approval, to collect at least 892 signatures of registered electors registered to vote within the city limits of Mountain Home to ask for a special election to remove the councilman from his seat.

The code outlines the steps that must be taken for any recall. Initially, the signatures of 20 qualified electors had to be gathered on the prospective petition and submitted to the city clerk to approve as to form. The list of signatures was submitted to the county clerk to be verified -- confirming that the signer is a registered voter and resides within the city limits. The number of signatures required is equal to 20 percent of the number of electors registered to vote at the last general election held in the city of Mountain Home for the election of officers. That election was held in November 2003. At that time 4,461 qualified electors were registered to vote in the election.

The signature sheets then had to be filed with the clerk and be verified once more with the clerk having 15 days to confirm the signatures.

But as the deadline passed, no signatures had been submitted. State Code notes in the event the petition does not have the required number of signatures, the councilman would continue in office and no new recall petition may be circulated for a period of 90 days against the same councilman.