COEUR D’ALENE — As community conversations continue over the Nov. 4 municipal election results, the Kootenai County Elections Department has provided clarity on the legal requirements for initiating a recall of the city’s mayor-elect.
In an email, Elections Director Asa Gray confirmed that the number of signatures required for a recall petition is based on the total registered voters in the City of Coeur d’Alene at the last general city election — not the number of voters who participated in the mayoral race.
According to Gray, the city had 31,134 registered voters at the Nov. 4 consolidated election, including Election Day and early voting registrations. Under Idaho Code 34-1702(4), a recall petition must be signed by 20% of those registered voters, which totals 6,227 valid signatures.
Timing Restrictions Apply
Gray also noted that a recall effort cannot begin immediately.
Idaho Code 34-1713(1) requires that “no petition for a recall shall be circulated against any officer until he has actually held office under the current term for at least ninety (90) days.” This means circulation of a petition cannot begin until at least 90 days after the mayor-elect is sworn in.
How the Process Works
Gray included a step-by-step overview of Idaho’s recall process under Title 34, Chapter 17. Key points include:
• A prospective recall petition must first be drafted and signed by at least 20 registered voters from within the city.
• The petition is then submitted to the Elections Department for review.
• If approved, petitioners are informed of the required signature total and given 75 days to collect signatures.
• Once signatures are submitted, the Elections Office has 15 business days to verify them.
• If enough signatures are certified, the officeholder has five business days to either resign or proceed to a recall election.
• A recall election is successful only if a majority of voters favor removal and the number of “yes” votes meets or exceeds the total number of votes the officeholder received in the last election.
Gray emphasized that this overview is not a substitute for reviewing the statutes directly, directing residents to Idaho Code for full details.
Community Questions Continue
Discussions about a potential recall have circulated in various local forums since Election Day. While no formal recall action has been initiated, the Elections Department’s clarification is aimed at reducing confusion surrounding the threshold and timing required by law.
The Hayden Reporter will continue to follow developments as the new administration prepares for its swearing-in and as residents consider next steps.
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