Wisconsin Elections Commission to Review Recall Petitions Targeting Assembly Speaker Robin Vos

Madison, Wis (Civic Media) – A recall effort aimed at Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has come to an end… for now.  Organizers delivered petitions this morning.  The Wisconsin Elections Commission will review the signatures and determine if people need to go back to the polls.  This 63rd Assembly district includes Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant, Union Grove, Yorkville, Burlington, and Rochester.  

Organizers held a press conference this morning in front of the Wisconsin Election Commission offices, prior to the submission of the signatures. According to Matt Snorek, the initiator of the recall campaign, over 1,300 petition sheets have been collected, resulting in more than 10,000 signatures. Snorek says the number underscores the community’s clear message that they are tired of the status quo and demand new representation. He also emphasized that while the catalyst for the petition was election security concerns, people that signed expressed a range of reasons for their support of the recall and their desire to see Robin Vos removed from office.

The recall effort was initiated by some of Vos’s fellow Republicans in January, who believed that he did not take sufficient action to challenge the 2020 presidential election results. The recall effort has garnered support from both Republicans and Democrats who have various other grievances against the experienced state lawmaker.

The recall effort had a 60-day deadline to collect approximately 6,850 signatures. The number represents 25% of the total voters who participated in the most recent gubernatorial election in the 63rd District. If the petition drive proves successful, Vos would be compelled to stand for election within six weeks.

The Wisconsin Election Commission, in Madison, will be responsible for accepting the recall petitions and evaluating whether there are enough valid signatures to warrant an election. A commission meeting is scheduled for tomorrow at 8 am to discuss the matter further.  Although the 60-day deadline technically expired yesterday, state offices remain closed on Sundays. Consequently, the election commission agreed to accept the petitions today. 

In response to the recall effort, Assembly Speaker Vos expressed his intention to closely scrutinize the petitions for any invalid signatures. However, he also say he’s ready to engage in a re-election campaign if necessary to defend against the recall.