John Hiatt recall, Bangor School Department, Maine (2021)
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An effort to recall John Hiatt from his position on the Bangor School Department School Committee in Maine did not go to a vote in 2021. The recall effort was abandoned when the leader of the recall fell ill.[1][2]
The recall effort began in May 2021. Recall supporters would have had to collect signatures from 100 registered voters in the city of Bangor to move the recall forward.[1]
The effort started after Hiatt was arrested on May 14, 2021. He was charged with one count each of aggravated invasion of computer privacy, stalking, and theft by unauthorized taking as well as two counts of harassment, according to the Bangor Daily News. Hiatt maintained he was innocent and said he was a victim of abuse from the woman he was accused of stalking.[1]
Hiatt's three-year term on the seven-member board was scheduled to expire in November 2021. He announced that he planned to run for re-election.[3] At the time the recall effort started, Hiatt was also the elected treasurer of Penobscot County, but he could not be recalled from that office as state law does not allow for the recall of county officials.[1] Hiatt won the Republican primary for the District 9 seat in the Maine State Senate on July 14, 2020. He withdrew before the general election on November 3, 2020.
Recall supporters
The recall effort was started by Sean Hinkley (R), a resident of Bangor. Hinkley replaced Hiatt on the general election ballot for the District 9 seat in the Maine State Senate after Hiatt withdrew. Hinkley lost the election to Joe Baldacci (D).[1]
Hinkley said he started the petition for the community.[1] "I’ve been concerned about his behavior. This is just the straw that broke the camel’s back. The charges, and what I know about John. I think he needs to step down. I think we really deserve some better leaders in the school committee," Hinkley said.[4]
Recall opponents
Hiatt maintained he was innocent of the crimes he had been charged with and said he would not resign as he fought the charges. He also said he was a victim of abuse from the woman he was accused of stalking. "I consider myself a very smart person,” he said. “But having autism, I don’t get people. On a personal level, I have opened myself up to be hurt and exploited many times."[1]
Hiatt's attorney said, "Because the November election coincides with the end of Mr. Hiatt’s term, the recall effort is a pointless exercise that would require additional spending on a special election just months before voters go to the polls."[1]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Maine
Hinkley took out a request for recall on May 21, 2021.[1] To get the recall on the ballot, 100 registered voters in the city would have had to sign a request for recall. If that had been accomplished, the city would have prepared the recall petitions. Recall supporters would have had 30 days to circulate the petitions to collect signatures equal to 10% of registered voters at the time the request for recall was filed with the city clerk. If enough of the signatures had been verified by the city clerk, a recall election would have been scheduled by the city council within 40 to 60 days.[5]
2021 recall efforts
- See also: School board recalls
Ballotpedia tracked 92 school board recall efforts against 237 board members in 2021. Recall elections against 17 board members were held in 2021. The school board recall success rate was 0.42%.
The chart below details the status of 2021 recall efforts by individual school board member.
See also
- Bangor School Department, Maine
- Recall campaigns in Maine
- Political recall efforts, 2021
- School board recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Bangor Daily News, "Effort launched in Bangor to recall school board member charged with harassment and stalking," May 25, 2021
- ↑ Bangor Daily News, "Maine GOP calls on John Hiatt to resign over child porn charge," August 4, 2021
- ↑ Bangor School Department, "School Committee," accessed June 21, 2021
- ↑ WABI 5, "Bangor resident starts effort to recall school committee member," May 24, 2021
- ↑ City of Bangor Charter, "Article VI: Nominations and Elections," accessed June 21, 2021
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