The 2017 mayoral recall election in

Flint, Michigan Flint is the largest city and seat of Genesee County, Michigan, United States. Located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the region known as Mid Michigan. At the 2020 census, Flint had a population of 8 ...

was held on November 7, 2017, and resulted in incumbent mayor

Karen Weaver Karen Williams Weaver is an American psychologist and politician who was the mayor of Flint, Michigan, from 2015 to 2019. She was the first female mayor of the city and the 5th African-American to hold the office. Weaver is a member of the Dem ...

being re-elected.

Background

, the first woman to serve as mayor of

, took office in 2015 during the Flint water crisis, which remained a central issue in 2017. In August 2017 petitioners gathered sufficient signatures for a

recall election A recall election (also called a recall referendum, recall petition or representative recall) is a procedure by which, in certain polities, voters can remove an elected official from office through a referendum before that official's term of offi ...

. The recall election was a single election, rather than a two-stage process in which an initial decision on whether to recall Weaver would be followed by another election for a new mayor if necessary. The recall election followed a controversy relating to Weaver's support for a

waste collection Waste collection is a part of the process of waste management. It is the transfer of solid waste from the point of use and disposal to the point of treatment or landfill. Waste collection also includes the curbside collection of recyclable m ...

contract with Rizzo Environmental Services, a company involved in a corruption scandal that led to criminal charges against 17 people. The election also occurred amidst disagreement between Weaver and the

City Council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...

over the city's water provision.

Campaign

Weaver argued that the recall was motivated by racism and sexism. Her opponents criticized her for failing to work with the City Council and eroding public faith in government. In August 2017, Weaver filed a complaint that sought to cancel the recall election, alleging illegal behavior by those circulating the recall petition. The civil suit was dismissed later that month.

Candidates

Eighteen candidates contested the election: * David Davenport, business owner * Chris Del Morone, retired * Wood Etherly, Jr., City Council member * Anderson L. Fernanders, attorney * Ray Hall * Ronald D. Higgerson, artist * Brent Allan Jaworski,

union steward A union representative, union steward, or shop steward is an employee of an organization or company who represents and defends the interests of their fellow employees as a labor union member and official. Rank-and-file members of the union hold ...

* Ellery Johnson,

phlebotomist Phlebotomy is the process of making a puncture in a vein, usually in the arm, with a cannula for the purpose of drawing blood. The procedure itself is known as a venipuncture, which is also used for intravenous therapy. A person who performs a ph ...

* Scott Kincaid, City Council member * Sean Macintyre, activist * David Meier, retired tradesman * Anthony Palladeno Jr. * Don Pfeiffer, self-employed * Jeffrey L. Shelley * Al Wamsley, pastor * Angela Ward, entrepreneur *

, incumbent mayor * Arthur Woodson,

veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that has ...

s' rights advocate

Results

;Flint mayoral recall election, November 7, 2017 :Karen Weaver – 7,709 (52.98%) :Scott Kincaid – 4,671 (32.10%) :Don Pfeiffer – 894 (6.14%) :Arthur Woodson – 352 (2.42%) :Anthony Palladeno Jr. – 167 (1.15%) :David Davenport – 141 (0.97%) :Angela Ward – 113 (0.78%) :Woody Etherly, Jr. – 95 (0.65%) :Jeffrey L. Shelley – 50 (0.34%) :Sean Macintyre – 48 (0.33%) :Chris Del Morone – 45 (0.31%) :Brent Allan Jaworski – 29 (0.20%) :Ronald D. Higgerson – 25 (0.17%) :Ellery Johnson – 25 (0.17%) :Anderson L. Fernanders – 18 (0.12%) :Al Wamsley – 18 (0.12%) :David Meier – 16 (0.11%) :Ray Hall – 10 (0.07%)

References

{{2017 United States elections

Flint Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and start fir ...

Flint mayoral Local elections in Michigan Flint, Michigan Flint 2017

Background

Campaign

Candidates

Results

See also

References