Recall Elections and How to Remove an Official

What Is a Recall Election

A recall election is a vote on whether to remove an elected official before the end of their term. Voters start it with a petition, and if enough valid signatures come in by the deadline, the question goes on a ballot. It is the only removal tool that belongs to voters instead of to a legislature or a court.

Where you live decides whether you have it. The Constitution has no recall for members of Congress or the president, so every recall right comes from a state constitution, a state law, or a city charter.

Source: Ballotpedia, 2026 mid-year recall report.

How a Recall Works, Step by Step

Most recalls end at the petition stage, not at the ballot box. The steps are similar in every recall state, but the numbers differ enough that the same effort can be easy in one state and close to impossible in the next.

How a recall moves from petition to vote

1. 1 Day 1 File to start a recall Organizers file an application or notice with the election office. Some states require a statement of reasons, and seven require specific legal grounds.
2. 2 60 days to 1 year Gather signatures Volunteers or paid circulators collect signatures from registered voters in the official's district, usually a set share of the last vote for that office.
3. 3 Weeks Election officials verify Officials check each signature against the voter rolls. Petitions with too few valid signatures fail here.
4. 4 Set by law The recall vote If the petition qualifies, the recall goes on a special or regular ballot. Voters decide yes or no, and in many states they pick a replacement on the same ballot.
5. 5 After the count Removal or retention A majority yes removes the official. A no vote keeps them, and some states, such as Arizona and Colorado, then make a second recall in the same term harder.

Source: NCSL, Recall of State Officials (updated August 27, 2025). Local recall rules are set by state law or city charter and vary more.

The signature rule is the gate. Kansas asks for signatures equal to 40% of the votes cast in the official’s last election, while California needs 12% for statewide officers, so the same effort can be routine in one state and a long shot in the next.

Recall Rules in Your State

In most recall states, you do not need a legal reason to start one. Michigan’s constitution puts it plainly: the sufficiency of the reasons “shall be a political rather than a judicial question.” Only 7 of the 19 recall states require specific grounds such as misconduct or a crime. In 11 states (Alabama, Delaware, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Utah) state law has no known recall provision at all, though a city or county charter can still create one.

Can you recall an official in your state?

Choose your state to see whether voters can recall state and local officials, the signatures a petition needs, how long you have to gather them, and whether a reason is required.

Choose your state to see its rules Select a state AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

State officials: NCSL's tables and citations. Local officials: Ballotpedia's summary of state law; a city or county charter can add or limit recall. Where NCSL lists no timing limit, the card leaves that line out rather than claim there is none. This is general information, not legal advice.

Recall of state officialsIs a reason required?Recall of local officials

Recall of state officials

• By election (19 states and D.C.)
• By court trial (Virginia)
• No recall of state officials (30 states)

Sources: NCSL, Recall of State Officials (updated August 27, 2025); Ballotpedia, Laws governing recall. Verified October 8, 2026.

Recall of state officials

State	Can voters recall state officials?	Can voters recall local officials?
Alabama	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
Alaska	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Arizona	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Arkansas	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Limited: Limited.
California	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Colorado	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Connecticut	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Limited: Limited to communities with home rule powers.
Delaware	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
District of Columbia	Yes. D.C. voters can recall elected District officials.	—
Florida	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Limited: Limited to cities and counties.
Georgia	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Hawaii	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Idaho	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Illinois	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Indiana	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
Iowa	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
Kansas	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Kentucky	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
Louisiana	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Maine	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Limited: Limited to charter cities and towns with recall provisions.
Maryland	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Massachusetts	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Limited: Limited.
Michigan	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Minnesota	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Limited: Limited to county-wide offices.
Mississippi	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
Missouri	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Limited: Class 3 cities and charter cities with recall provisions.
Montana	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Nebraska	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Nevada	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
New Hampshire	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
New Jersey	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
New Mexico	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Limited: Limited to counties, school boards, and some municipalities.
New York	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
North Carolina	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
North Dakota	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Ohio	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Limited: Limited to municipal corporations.
Oklahoma	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Limited: Limited.
Oregon	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Pennsylvania	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
Rhode Island	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
South Carolina	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
South Dakota	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Limited: Limited to mayor, commissioner or any alderman in some municipalities.
Tennessee	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Limited: Limited.
Texas	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Limited: Limited to charter political subdivisions with recall provisions.
Utah	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
Vermont	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Limited: Limited to charter towns and cities.
Virginia	Not by election. Virginia voters can petition for a recall trial, and a circuit court decides whether to remove the official.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Washington	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
West Virginia	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Limited: Limited to charter cities.
Wisconsin	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Wyoming	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	Limited: Limited to cities and towns.

See all states in a table

All states By election (19 states and D.C.)By court trial (Virginia)No recall of state officials (30 states) Showing 51 of 51 states

State	Can voters recall state officials?	Who can be recalled	Signatures needed	Time to gather signatures	Is a reason required?	When a petition may start	Who replaces a recalled official	Can voters recall local officials?
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	All elected public officers of the state except judicial officers	25% of the votes cast in the state or in the senate or house district in the last election for the official being recalled.	Not specified.	Required: Lack of fitness, incompetence, neglect of duties or corruption.	—	State legislature: the replacement is appointed; Governor and lieutenant governor: the next in line takes over	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Every public officer in the state holding an elective office, whether by election or appointment	25% of the votes cast in the last election for the official being recalled.	120 days.	Not required. Any reason can start a recall.	—	All offices: the replacement is chosen on the same ballot	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Limited: Limited.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	State officers, members of the legislature, judges of courts of appeal, local officers	For statewide officers: 12% of the last vote for the office, with signatures from each of five counties equal in number to 1% of the last vote for the office in the county. For state senators, members of the Assembly, members of the Board of Equalization, judges of courts of appeal: 20% of the votes cast in the last election for the official being recalled.	160 days.	Not required. Any reason can start a recall.	—	All state offices: the replacement is chosen on the same ballot	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Every elective public officer of the state	25% of the votes cast in the last election for the official being recalled.	60 days.	Not required. Any reason can start a recall.	No petition in the first six months in office (for legislators, the first five days after the legislature convenes) or within six months of the office's next election.	All offices: the replacement is chosen on the same ballot	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Limited: Limited to communities with home rule powers.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
Yes. D.C. voters can recall elected District officials.	Yes. D.C. voters can recall elected District officials.	All elected officers of the district except the congressional delegate from D.C.	10% of the registered qualified electors from the appropriate election ward (or entire District, for at-large elected officials).	180 days.	Not required. Any reason can start a recall.	—	All offices: a later special election picks the replacement	—
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Limited: Limited to cities and counties.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Every public official who holds elective office	For statewide officers: 15% of registered voters for office at time of last election, at least 1/15 from each congressional district in the state. Other state officers: 30% of registered voters for office at time of last election.	For statewide office: 90 days. For other offices: 45 days.	Required: Malfeasance or misconduct in office, violating the oath, failing to perform duties, or misusing public property or funds.	—	All offices: a later special election picks the replacement	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Every public officer in the state except judicial officers	20% of registered voters for office at time of last election.	75 days.	Not required. Any reason can start a recall.	—	All offices except governor and lieutenant governor: the replacement is appointed; Governor and lieutenant governor: the next in line takes over	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Governor	15% of the votes cast for governor in the preceding general election with at least 100 signatures from each of at least 25 counties. Also required are the signatures from at least 20 members of the House of Representatives and 10 members of the Senate, with no more than half the signatures of members of each chamber from the same political party.	150 days.	Not required. Any reason can start a recall.	—	Governor: a later special election picks the replacement	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	All elected public officers in the state except judicial officers	40% of the votes cast in the last election for the official being recalled.	90 days.	Required: Felony conviction, misconduct in office, or failure to perform duties.	No application in the first 120 days or last 200 days of the term.	All offices except governor: a later special election picks the replacement; Governor: the next in line takes over	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Any state official except judges of the courts of record	A share of the qualified electors in the voting area: 20% if there are 100,000 or more, 25% if 25,000 to 99,999, 33.3% if 1,000 to 24,999, and 40% if fewer than 1,000.	180 days (90 days where fewer than 1,000 qualified electors live in the voting area).	Not required. Any reason can start a recall.	—	All offices except governor and lieutenant governor: a later special election picks the replacement; Lieutenant governor: the replacement is appointed; Governor: the next in line takes over	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Limited: Limited to charter cities and towns with recall provisions.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Limited: Limited.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	All elective officers except judges of the courts of record	25% of total votes cast for governor in the officer’s electoral district at last election.	180 days, but a signature more than 60 days old when the petition is filed does not count.	Not required. Any reason can start a recall.	No petition in the first or last six months of a term of two years or less, or the first or last year of a longer term.	All offices: the replacement is chosen on the same ballot	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	State executive officers, legislators, and judges of the supreme court, court of appeals or a district court	25% of total votes cast for position at last election.	90 days.	Required: Serious malfeasance or nonfeasance in office, or conviction of a serious crime during the term.	—	State legislature: a later special election picks the replacement; Secretary of state, auditor and attorney general: the replacement is appointed; Governor and lieutenant governor: the next in line takes over	Limited: Limited to county-wide offices.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Limited: Class 3 cities and charter cities with recall provisions.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Any person holding a public office of the state, either by election or appointment	For statewide officers: 10% of eligible voters for office at time of last state general election. For district officers (including legislative offices): 15% of eligible voters for office at time of last election.	3 months.	Required: Physical or mental unfitness, incompetence, violating the oath, official misconduct, or certain felony convictions.	—	All offices except governor: the replacement is appointed; Governor: the next in line takes over	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Every public officer in the state (although elected judges are an exception, based on a 2017 Nevada Supreme Court decision in Ramsey v. City of North Las Vegas )	25% of the votes cast in the last election for the official being recalled.	90 days. All signatures collected in the first 45 days must be submitted by the 48th day. All signatures collected after the 45th day must be submitted by the 90th day.	Not required. Any reason can start a recall.	—	All offices: the replacement is chosen on the same ballot	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Any elected official in the state or representing the state in the U.S. Congress	25% of the registered voters in the electoral district of the official sought to be recalled.	Governor or U.S. Senator: 320 days. All other officers: 160 days.	Not required. Any reason can start a recall.	—	State legislature: the replacement is appointed; Governor and lieutenant governor: the next in line takes over	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Limited: Limited to counties, school boards, and some municipalities.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Any elected official of the state or legislative district	25% of the votes cast for governor in the officer’s electoral district in the last election.	One year.	Not required. Any reason can start a recall.	—	All offices: the replacement is chosen on the same ballot	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Limited: Limited to municipal corporations.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Limited: Limited.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Every public officer in the state	15% of total votes cast in officer's district for all candidates for governor in the last election.	90 days.	Not required. Any reason can start a recall.	—	All offices except governor: the replacement is appointed; Governor: the next in line takes over	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general and general treasurer	15% of total votes cast for said office in last general election.	90 days.	Required: Only after a felony indictment, a misdemeanor conviction, or an ethics commission probable-cause finding.	—	State legislature: a later special election picks the replacement; Secretary of state, attorney general and state treasurer: the replacement is appointed; Governor and lieutenant governor: the next in line takes over	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Limited: Limited to mayor, commissioner or any alderman in some municipalities.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Limited: Limited.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Limited: Limited to charter political subdivisions with recall provisions.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	No known state provision. A city or county charter may still allow it.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Limited: Limited to charter towns and cities.
Not by election. Virginia voters can petition for a recall trial, and a circuit court decides whether to remove the official.	Not by election. Virginia voters can petition for a recall trial, and a circuit court decides whether to remove the official.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Every elective public officer of the state except judges of courts of record	For statewide officers: 25% of the votes cast in the last election for the official being recalled. All others, including state legislative offices: 35% of the votes cast in the last election for the official being recalled.	Statewide officers: 270 days. Other officers: 180 days.	Required: Malfeasance, misfeasance, or violating the oath of office.	—	All offices except governor and lieutenant governor: the replacement is appointed; Governor and lieutenant governor: the next in line takes over	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Limited: Limited to charter cities.
Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Yes. Voters can recall state officials in an election.	Any state, judicial, congressional or legislative official	25% of total votes cast for the office of governor at the last election within the same district or territory of that officer being recalled.	60 days.	Not required. Any reason can start a recall.	—	All offices: the replacement is chosen on the same ballot	Yes. State law allows recall of local officials.
No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	No. Voters cannot recall state officials. Impeachment and the next regular election remain.	—	—	—	—	—	—	Limited: Limited to cities and towns.

Sources: NCSL, Recall of State Officials (updated August 27, 2025); Ballotpedia, Laws governing recall. Verified October 8, 2026.

Signature rules count in different bases, which makes quick comparisons misleading. Oregon, Michigan and North Dakota count against the votes cast for governor in the official’s district, Idaho and Georgia against registered voters, and Louisiana against all qualified electors in the area, from 20% where there are 100,000 or more down to 40% where there are fewer than 1,000. A 25% rule measured against a low-turnout election can be easier to meet than a 15% rule measured against all registered voters.

How Often Recalls Succeed

About 14 of every 100 officials targeted by a recall are removed. Across the ten years of Ballotpedia’s year-end reports from 2016 through 2025, 542 of 3,782 targeted officials lost their seats in a recall election. Most of the rest never faced a vote because the petition fell short.

Removed in a recall election Targeted officials not removed: the petition failed, they kept their seat or resigned, or the effort was still pending

Base: all elected officials named in recall efforts Ballotpedia tracked, 2016-2025. Source: Ballotpedia year-end recall analyses.

The success rate swings with the year. It peaked in 2018, when 26% of targeted officials were removed, and hit bottom in 2021, the year with the most recall targets in Ballotpedia’s records, when only 5% were. School board members drew the most recall efforts that year, 237 of them, and some campaigns cited COVID-19 school closures. Across all offices, efforts against 367 of the 545 targeted officials failed to make the ballot (Ballotpedia).

The busiest recall year, 2021, removed the smallest share of targets since at least 2016.

Recalls removed fewer officials in the busiest year, 2021

Category	Value
2016: 64 of 374 officials	17%
2017: 39 of 347 officials	11%
2018: 80 of 307 officials	26%
2019: 38 of 234 officials	16%
2020: 35 of 301 officials	12%
2021: 25 of 545 officials	5%
2022: 60 of 453 officials	13%
2023: 78 of 437 officials	18%
2024: 77 of 387 officials	20%
2025: 46 of 397 officials	12%

Officials removed in recall elections as a share of all officials targeted that year. Source: Ballotpedia year-end recall analyses, 2016-2025.

Recalls mostly target local officials. In 2025, city council members were 49% of all officials named in recall efforts and school board members were 15%. In 2025, 46 of 397 targeted officials were removed.

Governor Recalls, From Frazier to Newsom

Recall is more than a century old, and only two governors have lost one. Los Angeles adopted the first recall in 1903. Michigan and Oregon became the first states to allow recall of state officials in 1908, and Illinois became the most recent in 2010, for the governor only.

1. 1903 Los Angeles adopts the first recall The first recall in the country, according to NCSL.
2. 1908 Michigan and Oregon allow state recalls The first states to let voters recall state officials.
3. 1921 North Dakota recalls Gov. Lynn Frazier The first governor ever recalled; Ragnvald Nestos won by 4,102 votes. (source)
4. 2003 California recalls Gov. Gray Davis 55% voted yes, and Arnold Schwarzenegger won the replacement race. (source)
5. 2010 Illinois adds recall of the governor The most recent state to adopt recall of a state official.
6. 2012 Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker survives He won the recall vote 53.1% to 46.3% on June 5, 2012. (source)
7. 2021 California keeps Gov. Gavin Newsom 61.9% voted no in an election the state estimated would cost $276 million. (source)
8. 2026 A recall targets Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry Organizers cite his handling of congressional redistricting after Louisiana v. Callais. (source)

Recall in the United States, 1903-2026: 1903: Los Angeles adopts the first recall (The first recall in the country, according to NCSL.). 1908: Michigan and Oregon allow state recalls (The first states to let voters recall state officials.). 1921: North Dakota recalls Gov. Lynn Frazier (The first governor ever recalled; Ragnvald Nestos won by 4,102 votes.). 2003: California recalls Gov. Gray Davis (55% voted yes, and Arnold Schwarzenegger won the replacement race.). 2010: Illinois adds recall of the governor (The most recent state to adopt recall of a state official.). 2012: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker survives (He won the recall vote 53.1% to 46.3% on June 5, 2012.). 2021: California keeps Gov. Gavin Newsom (61.9% voted no in an election the state estimated would cost $276 million.). 2026: A recall targets Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (Organizers cite his handling of congressional redistricting after Louisiana v. Callais.).

1903: Los Angeles adopted the first recall in the country, according to NCSL’s history of the recall.

1908: Michigan and Oregon became the first states to allow recall of state officials.

1921: North Dakota voters removed Gov. Lynn Frazier on October 28, 1921. Ragnvald Nestos won with 50.9% of the vote to Frazier’s 49.1%, or 111,434 votes to 107,332 (North Dakota Secretary of State).

2003: California recalled Gray Davis on October 7, 2003, 11 months after he won reelection. The recall question drew 55% yes, and Arnold Schwarzenegger won the replacement race on the same ballot (Ballotpedia).

2010: Illinois voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing recall of the governor, with a rule no other state uses: the petition also needs signatures from 20 state representatives and 10 state senators, no more than half from one party.

2012: Scott Walker kept his seat after a recall driven by his law limiting public employee unions, winning 1,335,585 votes to Tom Barrett’s 1,164,480.

2021: Gavin Newsom was retained 61.9% to 38.1% on September 14, 2021, with about 12.8 million votes cast (Ballotpedia). California’s Department of Finance estimated the election would cost $276 million (Department of Finance letter).

2026: A group called Louisiana Deserves Better began an effort to recall Gov. Jeff Landry. Organizers had until October 31, 2026, to gather 500,884 signatures (Ballotpedia). Louisiana law sets the bar at 20% of the qualified electors in any area with 100,000 or more of them (La. R.S. 18:1300.2).

Recalls in 2025 and 2026

Most recalls now happen in city halls and school districts, over a single vote. Ballotpedia’s 2025 report shows how that plays out:

• Cleveland Heights, Ohio: Mayor Kahlil Seren was recalled on September 9, 2025, with 82.2% voting yes. Organizers cited late state audits, an incomplete budget and staff turnover.
• San Francisco: Supervisor Joel Engardio was recalled on September 16, 2025, with 62.7% yes, over his support for closing part of the Upper Great Highway to cars.
• Jackson County, Missouri: County Executive Frank White was recalled on September 30, 2025, with 89.4% yes, over property tax assessments.
• Mesa, Arizona: Councilwoman Julie Spilsbury was recalled on November 4, 2025, with 52.6% yes.

A new reason appeared in 2026. By June 30, Ballotpedia counted 33 recall efforts against 58 officials over proposed data centers in seven states. In Lyon Township, Michigan, organizers targeted all seven members of the township board after a proposed 1.8 million-square-foot data center. The Avenal recall shows what can follow a vote: after the four recalled officials voted to reject the certified results, organizers went to court with a quo warranto action, a lawsuit that challenges an official’s right to hold office (Ballotpedia).

State legislators draw recalls too, often over a single vote or a party switch. In 2025, two efforts to recall Oregon state Rep. Cyrus Javadi, who left the Republican Party for the Democrats, did not make the ballot.

Recall vs. Impeachment

The two are often confused, but different people hold the power. In a recall, voters decide and no crime is needed in most states. In an impeachment, a legislature brings charges and holds a trial. Our impeachment explainer covers how that process works for federal officials.

The Case Against Recalls

Recalls have serious critics, and not only among officials who face them. FairVote argued in 2021 that California’s ballot can hand the governorship to a replacement who wins a crowded field with far less than half the vote, and it proposed ranked choice voting for the replacement question (FairVote). Others point to the cost of a special election held off the normal calendar, like California’s $276 million estimate for 2021.

A few distinctions keep the argument fair:

• Many states limit when a petition can start. Colorado bars petitions in an official’s first six months and within six months of the office’s next election (C.R.S. 1-12-102). Michigan bars them in the first and last six months of a term of two years or less, and the first and last year of a longer term (MCL 168.951). Kansas bars them in the first 120 and last 200 days.
• Grounds requirements limit what counts as a reason. Georgia’s law says the discretionary performance of a lawful act is not a ground for recall (NCSL). In Festus, Missouri, the city council refused in 2026 to put recalls on the ballot because the petitions alleged no unlawful conduct, and organizers went to court (Ballotpedia).

What You Can Do

1. Check your state’s rules first. Use the state finder above for the signature count, the deadline and whether a reason is required, then read the statute cited on the card.
2. Ask your local election office for the petition packet. Local recalls follow state law or your city charter, and the clerk can tell you the filing steps, the signature count and the form the petition must use.
3. Plan for the signature gap. Most recalls fail at the petition stage. Budget for more signatures than the minimum, because some will not match the voter rolls.
4. Consider the next regular election too. If the term ends soon, a primary challenge may be faster; our primary elections explainer and guide to running for local office cover those routes.
5. Write your state legislator about recall rules you think are too loose or too strict. Our guide to writing your representatives shows how.