Menser recall effort underway

A recall effort to oust Thurston County Commissioner Ty Menser  has been filed with the Thurston County auditor – – the first step in a long process to recall the elected county commissioner from the county’s 3rd District seat.

The motion to file petition for recall is being led by Jon Pettit, a long time community activist and an expert on Thurston County government.  Pettit led the effort two years ago to get the County Commission to withdrew its effort to get taxpayer approval to construct a new courthouse in downtown Olympia.

In his petition, Pettit claims that Menser, as chair of the Thurston County Commission last year, failed to file timely reports on county action and that many public actions had no minutes at all.  Pettit also alleges that actions were taken without public scrutiny.  In his 53 page petition, Pettit claims that Menser and the county were negligent in many other areas.    The petition is on file with the Thurston County Auditor’s office.

Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall said the petition has been sent on the Thurston County courts.

A judge will be selected to determine if Pettit’s petition has legal grounds on which to approve a recall effort.  Bear in mind that just because the court determines there is grounds for a recall, does mean the official is guilty.

The court has 15 days from the date it received the petition to make a determination.  If sufficient grounds are found, the court will write a ballot synopsis and send it back to the petitioner to gather signatures for recall.

Pettit will have to gather 28,851 valid signatures of registered voters in order to get the measure put on the ballot for a public vote.   That figure is 25 percent of those who voted in the last election in which Menser was on the ballot.   That was 2018.  Supporters have six months to gather the necessary signatures.

Hall said that its possible – if the signatures are gathered – that the recall could be on the November ballot.

Questions have arisen as to why the recall effort, when Menser is up for re-election this year.  For the answer to that question, go to the interview with Pettit that will shortly be posted in my Coffee With Ken section.