Matthew Showalter recall, Shepherd Public School District, Michigan (2021)

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Shepherd Public School District recall
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Officeholders
Matthew Showalter
Recall status
Did not go to a vote
See also
Recall overview
Political recall efforts, 2021
Recalls in Michigan
Michigan recall laws
School board recalls
Recall reports

An effort to recall Matthew Showalter from his position as a trustee on the seven-member Shepherd Public School District Board of Education in Michigan did not go to a vote in 2021. Recall supporters did not file the requisite 1,487 signatures by the filing deadline on July 30, 2021.[1]

The recall effort began after Showalter allegedly ridiculed the name of an opposing student player while he was calling the junior varsity football game on September 23, 2020, over a Facebook Live broadcast. He allegedly said, "Who in their right mind would name a kid that?" The broadcast was deleted, and Showalter apologized for his words. He also stepped down from his position as vice president of the board, but he kept his seat as a trustee.[2][3] In an appeal against the approval of the recall petitions, Showalter denied saying those words.[4]

Showalter's term was due to expire in 2024.[5]

Recall supporters

The recall effort was started by Shepherd, Michigan, resident Teresa Meyer. She said Showalter's resignation as vice president was not enough. "I believe he should have stepped down as a board member," Meyer said.[3]

Meyer said she hoped Showalter would resign and make the recall effort unnecessary.[3]

Recall opponents

In response to the recall petition getting approved for circulation, Showalter said:

I am disappointed with the recall petition and the ongoing campaign against me and my character ... I am also disappointed in the individuals behind the effort’s lack of communication, having gone straight to a recall without having a conversation with me to discuss the situation.


I believe they have been supplied with incomplete and inaccurate secondhand versions of my comment in September. I look forward to serving on the newly elected Shepherd Board of Education as we move forward to continue to provide a safe and caring learning environment for our students and staff.[2][6]

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing recall in Michigan

The Isabella County Election Commission approved the recall petition against Showalter in a clarity hearing on January 14, 2021, allowing it to be circulated.[2] Showalter appealed the decision to allow the petition to circulate on February 1, 2021.[7] A hearing on the appeal was held on May 28, 2021.[8] Judge Eric Janes rejected Showalter's appeal, allowing the recall effort to gather signatures.[4]

To get the recall on the ballot, supporters would have had to collect 1,487 signatures by July 30, 2021.[1][4]

Recall supporters initially tried to recall Showalter in 2020, but the recall petition language was rejected in a clarity hearing on November 23, 2020.[9]

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

External links

Footnotes