Does an elected official in Wisconsin have to be in office for a year before a recall effort?
Elected officials in Wisconsin must hold their office for at least one year before a recall is initiated, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
In Wisconsin, recall petitions must gain signatures from qualified electors equal at least a 25% of the votes cast in the most recent governor's election within the official's jurisdiction.
Recalled officials must run a second time to stay in office. If they lose, the winning candidates replace them, according to the Wisconsin Legislative Council.
A recall effort against Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in 2020 failed to gain the necessary 670,000 signatures. The organizer, Misty Polewczynski, cited Evers' responses to COVID-19 and unrest in Kenosha.
In 2012, former Republican Gov. Scott Walker became the first governor to win a recall election. Only three other U.S. governors have been recalled, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who retained his seat in 2021.