By Mr. Brown, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate,
No. 2290) of Scott P. Brown and Richard J. Ross (by vote
of the town) for legislation to provide for recall
elections in the town of Wrentham. Election Laws. {Local
approval received.}
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Any elective officer of the Town that has served a minimum of 120 days in office may be recalled and removed from office by the voters as herein provided. Any voter may file with the Town Clerk a petition containing the name and title of the elective officers whose removal is sought. Such petition must be obtained, completed, and filed in accordance with then current Town practices, policies, and/or procedures. For all elective officers such a petition shall be signed by qualified voters of the Town equal in number to at least 5 percent of those registered and qualified to vote as of the last regular town election. Such recall petition must be filed with the Town Clerk within fourteen days following its initial issuance.
SECTION 2. If within seven days following receipt of the petition the Town Clerk shall determine it to contain a sufficient number of valid signatures, provisions shall be made for a recall election to be held within sixty days but not sooner than forty-five days thereafter, provided that no such election shall take place if the regular Town election or another special election shall be held within ninety days. If such is the case, then the recall election shall be held at the same time as the previously-scheduled Town election. All procedures for voting upon the recall question and filling the vacancy caused by the recall of an officer shall be in the same manner as provided by general law for the conduct of Town elections.
SECTION 3. Any officer sought to be removed may be a candidate to succeed the same office, and unless the officer requests otherwise in writing, the Town Clerk shall place the name of the officer on the ballot without nomination. The nomination of other candidates, the publication of the warrant for the removal election, and the conduct of the same, shall all be in accordance with the provisions of law relating to the elections. Ballots used in a recall election shall ask if the officer sought to be recalled shall be recalled; and shall provide for the names of candidates seeking the office of the officer recalled
SECTION 4. If the votes cast upon the question of recall is in the affirmative, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected provided that at least 25 percent of all those qualified to vote shall have voted.
