One optionis recalling Walker.
But Walker'sopponents will have to wait, since elected officials must serve one year beforethey can be the target of a recall election. The earliest that Walker could berecalled would be January 2012.
But recallsupporters could begin collecting signatures to place Walker on a recall ballotbefore that date, in early November.
Recallsupporters would have to collect enough signatures to equal 25% of the previouselection's turnout, about 540,000 signatures, said Kevin Kennedy, director andgeneral counsel of the state Government Accountability Board (GAB).
Walker wouldhave 10 days in which to challenge those signatures. Recall supporters wouldhave five days to respond, and Walker would have two additional days to weighin. The GAB would have 31 days to review the petitionsthe 17 days in which thetwo sides contest signatures, plus an extra two weeksbut the agency couldpetition the court for an extension.
If enoughsignatures are deemed valid, the GAB would call a special election for governorto be held on the sixth Tuesday after the signatures were certified.
Walker wouldautomatically be a Republican candidate for governor, unless he would resignfrom office.
The electioncould be a primary election if another Republican decides to run, or if morethan one candidate from another political partyDemocratic, Libertarian orGreen, for examplealso decided to run. All of these candidates would have tofile with the GAB and collect signatures to be placed on the ballot.
The winnersof the partisan primary would then advance to a general election.
If eachparty has only one candidate for office, then only one election would be held.
If Walkerwould lose any of those elections, he would have to give up his office 10 daysafter the final election.
Kennedy saidthat the status of Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch would have to be researched,since it wasn't certain if she would be recalled along with Walker. Wisconsin'slieutenant governor is elected during a primary election separate from thegovernor's race, but the two run on the same ticket during the generalelection. Kennedy said any GAB decision on her status would likely bechallenged in court.
Right-WingUtah Group Attempts to Recall Wisconsin Democrats
EightDemocratic state senators already have been targeted for recall by the AmericanRecall Coalition, based in Salt Lake City. The group listed as its treasurerDan Baltes, a right-wing Internet radio host who is also the head of theAmerican Patriot Recall Coalition (APRC) and the founder of Americans AgainstImmigration Amnesty.
On theAPRC's website, Baltes explained why his group is organizing recall electionsaround the countryincluding one against Sheriff Clarence Dupnik of PimaCounty, Ariz., who railed against violent tea party groups after the shootingof Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in January.
AlthoughBaltes' group is trying to recall Wisconsin Democrats, the statement on APRC'swebsite could easily be read as justification for a recall of Gov. Walkerfollowing the revelations in his phone call with a blogger posing asbillionaire David Koch. Walker promised "Koch" that he was unwilling tonegotiate with Democrats and was trying to trick them into returning toWisconsin so a vote on his budget repair bill could be held. Walker also told"Koch" that he considered planting insurgents in the crowd of peacefulprotesters to make his opponents look bad, and asked "Koch" for "message help"for Republican legislators in swing districts.
Thestatement on the APRC website reads, "When electedrepresentatives align themselves with special interests and run afoul of theiroath of office and/or responsibilities, APRC will initiate recalls against suchpoliticians in the state, city, county or local governments across the UnitedStates through use of recall statutes and with the cooperation of localvolunteers/organizations. Politicians must learn that the American people willno longer tolerate political tantrums, holding the legislative process hostageor attempting to impose their will through extortion or dereliction of theduties they were elected to perform."
Kennedy saidthat the group's base in another state wasn't a problem as long as it could finda voter in each of the senators' districts to be the local contact. Apparently,the group has done so and the 60-day window in which they can collectsignatures is now open.
