Politics
Lawrence recall organizers face 30-day push for 7,078 signatures
A citizen-led effort to remove Mayor Brian DePeña cleared its first step after city officials certified more than 100 initial signatures. Organizers now need thousands more signatures to trigger a recall election that could be held within months.
Lawrence residents seeking to recall Mayor Brian DePeña must collect at least 7,078 voter signatures within 30 days after receiving official petition papers from the city clerk, a threshold organizers are expected to begin pursuing later this week.
City officials certified more than 100 signatures, allowing the citizen-initiated effort to move forward. The campaign comes a day after the City Council approved a resolution expressing no confidence in DePeña. Sarah Perez, a leader of the recall effort, said residents have lost trust in a mayor who oversees a city budget of about $400 million.
If organizers meet the signature requirement, DePeña would have five days to resign. If he remains in office, the City Council would call a special election, likely within two to three months.
The ballot would ask voters two questions: whether DePeña should be recalled and, if a majority votes yes, who should serve the remainder of his term. Under Lawrence’s city charter, DePeña could not run to replace himself.
DePeña, who won reelection to a second four-year term last year, has said he will not resign. He faces state and federal criminal cases and has pleaded not guilty in both. Federal charges stem from allegations that he used money from small-business loans for personal expenses. A separate state indictment involves allegations that he secretly recorded conversations near his City Hall office and intimidated witnesses.
The recall effort puts the mayor’s political future in the hands of Lawrence voters, but first organizers must gather thousands of signatures before the petition deadline.