Recall petition efforts still underway in Grand Forks' Ward 6
May 2—GRAND FORKS — A petition to recall City Council President Dana Sande is still making the rounds in Grand Forks' Ward 6.
Kevin Wilson, who has stated his intent to run for the Ward 6 seat currently held by Sande, said the warmer weather has helped with collecting signatures by going door-to-door.
"It's been a very slow process, and we expect in the month of May that it goes pretty quick now," Wilson said.
Wilson needs to collect at least 1,318 signatures — 25% of the number of those voting in the ward during the last election for governor.
While the original deadline to turn the signatures in to the city auditor was May 25, Wilson said the petition was filed again with the North Dakota Secretary of State in March after one of the sponsoring committee members in the ward moved. The new deadline to turn the signatures in is June 12.
Wilson said several people he has talked to throughout the ward have expressed interest in learning more about why he's running, along with having an additional person to consider to represent Ward 6. Sande ran unopposed in the June 2022 election.
"Having an option, I think, is a big deal for a lot of folks because we've had the same person for 12 years," he said.
In addition to Ward 6, Wilson said the desire to have more people running in elections has increased.
"It is good to get options and different voices involved," he said.
The effort to recall Sande followed frustration expressed by some residents regarding the now-stopped wet corn mill project, which would have been owned by
China-based Fufeng Group
. The plan was abandoned earlier this year when the
Air Force declared it would be a threat to national security
.
Wilson previously
told the Herald
the Fufeng project was one reason for the recall effort, as well as ensuring residents feel heard.
Once the signatures are turned into the city auditor, the auditor will then need to verify the signatures and ensure the petition followed the requisite rules and regulations. If the auditor determines the petition is valid, a special election will be held.
According to the North Dakota Secretary of State's Office, there hasn't been a recall election in Grand Forks in recent years. Past Herald records show
John Hoff
was recalled months after he was elected to the City Council in 2000.
As previously reported by the Herald, if he were to gain a seat on the council some of Wilson's interests would be to review how much money is being spent on local government, consider an expanded snowmobile route along the Greenway and bring in development to support farmers.
In the meantime, Wilson said work to gather signatures continues. One challenge that has come up in the signature collection effort is getting to residents in apartment buildings.
