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2017 Flint mayoral recall election

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2017 Flint mayoral recall election

← 2015 November 7, 2017 2019 →
 
Candidate Karen Weaver Scott Kincaid Don Pfeiffer
Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan
Popular vote 7,709 4,671 894
Percentage 52.98% 32.10% 6.14%

Mayor before election

Karen Weaver
Nonpartisan

Elected mayor

Karen Weaver
Nonpartisan

The 2017 Flint mayoral recall election in Flint, Michigan was held on November 7, 2017, and resulted in incumbent mayor Karen Weaver being re-elected.[1][2]

Background

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Karen Weaver, the first woman to serve as mayor of Flint, Michigan, took office in 2015 during the Flint water crisis, which remained a central issue in 2017.[2][3][4]

In August 2017 petitioners gathered sufficient signatures for a recall election.[5] The recall election was a single election, rather than a two-stage process in which an initial decision on whether to recall Weaver would be followed by another election for a new mayor if necessary.[6]

The recall election followed a controversy relating to Weaver's support for a waste collection contract with Rizzo Environmental Services, a company involved in a corruption scandal that led to criminal charges against 17 people.[1] The election also occurred amidst disagreement between Weaver and the City Council over the city's water provision.[1]

Campaign

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Weaver argued that the recall was motivated by racism and sexism.[2][3] Her opponents criticized her for failing to work with the City Council and eroding public faith in government.[3]

In August 2017, Weaver filed a complaint that sought to cancel the recall election, alleging illegal behavior by those circulating the recall petition.[7][8] The civil suit was dismissed later that month.[9]

Candidates

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Eighteen candidates contested the election:[10]

  • David Davenport, business owner
  • Chris Del Morone, retired
  • Wood Etherly, Jr., City Council member
  • Anderson L. Fernanders, attorney
  • Ray Hall
  • Ronald D. Higgerson, artist
  • Brent Allan Jaworski, union steward
  • Ellery Johnson, phlebotomist
  • Scott Kincaid, City Council member (Party Affiliation: Democratic)
  • Sean Macintyre, activist
  • David Meier, retired tradesman
  • Anthony Palladeno Jr.
  • Don Pfeiffer, self-employed (Party Affiliation: Republican)[11]
  • Jeffrey L. Shelley
  • Al Wamsley, pastor
  • Angela Ward, entrepreneur
  • Karen Weaver, incumbent mayor (Party Affiliation: Democratic)
  • Arthur Woodson, veterans' rights advocate

Results

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Flint mayoral recall election, November 7, 2017[12]
Karen Weaver – 7,709 (52.98%)
Scott Kincaid – 4,671 (32.10%)
Don Pfeiffer – 894 (6.14%)
Arthur Woodson – 352 (2.42%)
Anthony Palladeno Jr. – 167 (1.15%)
David Davenport – 141 (0.97%)
Angela Ward – 113 (0.78%)
Woody Etherly, Jr. – 95 (0.65%)
Jeffrey L. Shelley – 50 (0.34%)
Sean Macintyre – 48 (0.33%)
Chris Del Morone – 45 (0.31%)
Brent Allan Jaworski – 29 (0.20%)
Ronald D. Higgerson – 25 (0.17%)
Ellery Johnson – 25 (0.17%)
Anderson L. Fernanders – 18 (0.12%)
Al Wamsley – 18 (0.12%)
David Meier – 16 (0.11%)
Ray Hall – 10 (0.07%)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Gerstein, Michael (November 8, 2017). "Flint Mayor Weaver wins recall election". The Detroit News. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Elections Roundup: Incumbents Fare Well in Boston, Detroit and Flint". The New York Times. November 7, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Smith, Mitch (November 6, 2017). "Flint Mayor, Ushered in to Fix Water Crisis, Now Faces Recall". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  4. ^ Karoub, Jeff (November 5, 2017). "Water woes bubble below the surface in Flint recall election". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  5. ^ Goodin-Smith, Oona (August 5, 2017). "Recall against Flint Mayor Karen Weaver will be on November ballot". mlive. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  6. ^ Goodin-Smith, Oona (August 4, 2017). "Flint's future mayor will be decided during November one-election recall vote". mlive. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  7. ^ Goodin-Smith, Oona (August 17, 2017). "Flint Mayor Karen Weaver challenges recall in court". mlive. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  8. ^ Goodin-Smith, Oona (August 23, 2017). "Flint Mayor Weaver asks judge to order county clerk to call off recall". mlive. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  9. ^ Goodin-Smith, Oona (August 31, 2017). "Flint mayor drops court challenge of recall". mlive. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  10. ^ Goodin-Smith, Oona (October 17, 2017). "Meet the 18 candidates running for Flint mayor". mlive. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  11. ^ "Don Pfeiffer". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  12. ^ "Genesee County, Michigan, 11/7/2017" (PDF). Genesee County, Michigan. November 9, 2017. p. 4. Retrieved December 24, 2018.