FAQ & Timeline

The Recall Timeline

K.S.A. Ch. 25, Art. 43

Five stages, each with its own statutory clock. The two in red are hard gates — the process cannot move to the next stage until each is cleared.

Day 0

File Petition Application

Recall committee (3 registered electors) files the petition application and 200-word grounds statement with the county election officer.

K.S.A. 25-4320

≤ 5 business days

Grounds Review

County or district attorney determines whether the stated grounds are legally sufficient before circulation can begin.

K.S.A. 25-4322

≤ 90 days

Circulate & Collect Signatures

Need signatures ≥ 40% of votes cast for this seat in the last general election. Signed in ink only, in person, within one county.

K.S.A. 25-4324, 25-4325

≤ 30 days

Signature Sufficiency Review

County election officer verifies the filed petition — signature count, timing, and format — and rules it properly or improperly filed.

K.S.A. 25-4326

60–90 days

Recall Election

Held 60 to 90 days after notification that the petition was properly filed, unless another district election falls within 120 days.

K.S.A. 25-4318 et seq.

Worst case, start to finish: roughly 5 + 90 + 30 days before an election is even scheduled, then another 60–90 days to election day — up to ~215 days (about 7 months) if every stage takes its statutory maximum. The fastest path is bounded by the mandatory 60-day minimum between the sufficiency notice and election day, so realistically budget for several months regardless of how quickly signatures come in. Also note: no application may be filed within 180 days of the end of the officer's term. (K.S.A. 25-4323)

Questions

Does signing the petition remove him from office? +

No. Signing does not remove anyone from office, and it cannot. What a signature does is put the question to the district. If enough registered voters in District 1 sign, an election is called and the people who elected him decide whether he stays. That decision is theirs.

Which means you can sign the petition and still vote for him. A signature says the question is serious enough to be put to a vote. It does not say how you would cast that vote. K.S.A. 25-4325, 25-4326

What is a recall? +

A recall is a formal process that lets voters remove an elected official from office before their term ends, through a signature petition and, if enough valid signatures are gathered, a special election. K.S.A. 25-4318 – 25-4331

What are the legal grounds for recall in Kansas? +

Kansas law limits recall to three grounds: conviction of a felony, misconduct in office, or failure to perform duties prescribed by law. "Misconduct in office" specifically means a violation of law that impacts the officer's ability to perform official duties — general policy disagreement isn't enough on its own. Grounds must be stated with specificity in 200 words or less, and a county or district attorney reviews them for legal sufficiency before the petition can even be circulated (see the timeline above). K.S.A. 25-4302, 25-4320

Why do I need to sign in person, on paper? +

Kansas law requires petitions to be signed only in ink, circulated in person by a sponsor, within a single county. An online submission can't legally count as your signature. The "Get Involved" form on this site isn't the petition itself — it lets organizers know you want to sign, so they can meet you in person with the actual paperwork. K.S.A. 25-4324

How many signatures are needed? +

Not less than 40% of the votes cast for all candidates for this commission seat in the last general election for the officer's current term — a notably higher bar than the 10% required for state-level recalls. [We'll post the exact computed number here once we confirm the certified vote totals with the Seward County Clerk.] K.S.A. 25-4325

What happens after enough signatures are collected? +

The recall committee files the signed petition with the Seward County election officer, who has up to 30 days to determine whether it was properly filed — checking signature count, timing, and format. If it's sufficient, a recall election is held 60–90 days after that notification. K.S.A. 25-4326

Who is paying for this? +

The people organizing it, out of their own pockets. No money is being raised and nobody is being paid.

How can I help besides signing? +

Request a yard sign, sign up to volunteer as a circulator, or just share this site with neighbors in Seward County.

Is my contact information kept private? +

Yes. Your contact information is used only to coordinate an in-person signing or sign delivery, and it isn't sold or shared. See our Privacy Policy for details.

Who's organizing this? +

Registered voters of Seward County — neighbors, not a party organization or a political consulting firm. The three electors required by Kansas law are named on the petition application filed with the County Clerk, and anyone may request it. See the About page for how this is organized and funded.