Bosley Recall Update
Filed Tuesday, August 22, 2006 at 12:00 PM
The case to decide whether signatures can be removed from a petition to recall 3rd Ward Alderman Freeman Bosley, Sr. has been continued until next week. During that time briefs may be filed in support of the two sides’ positions.
The recallers claim that since there is no law that allows the city election board to allow petition signers to have their signatures removed, the board should not have allowed Bosley to ask hundreds of 3rd Ward residents to do just that.
The election board contends that since there is no limit to the amount of time that recallers have to gather signatures, it is only fair to allow signers to change their minds weeks, months or even years after they signed the petition. They also claim that since neither state law nor the City of St. Louis’ charter says otherwise, then they are allowed to create board policies in the interests of fairness and maintaining an orderly process.
A decision in this case — which may have a significant impact on several ongoing and planned recall efforts — may come early next week.