Most cities in our state, like Oklahoma City and Tulsa, have a recall procedure that allows citizens to remove a city elected official.
Nineteen states, such as Kansas, Louisiana, and Colorado, have established procedures for recalling a statewide elected official.
However, unlike certain city charters that grant voters the authority to hold local officials accountable by means of the recall process, the state of Oklahoma does not have any provisions in its law that enable voters to attempt the removal of elected state and county officials before the completion of their term.
It’s high time for a change.
In March 2023, an audio recording surfaced of McCurtain County Sheriff Kevin Clardy making disturbing comments about lynching Black people and killing journalists. Despite being defeated in the primary election in June, Clardy remains in office until the end of the year. Unfortunately, there are no legal avenues to remove him, leaving the residents of McCurtain County stuck with Clardy as their top law enforcement officer.
Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett is facing allegations of groping a man during a conference of regulatory officials in June. Hiett has stated that he does not remember the incident, but he has acknowledged being intoxicated and admits to having a drinking problem. He is currently seeking treatment for his alcohol dependency.
Despite stepping down as chair of the Corporation Commission, he is adamant about remaining in his role as one of the three commissioners. Currently, an investigation is being conducted into his behavior. However, as the incident took place outside of the state and no charges have been filed, it is highly probable that Hiett will retain his position until his term concludes in January 2027.
State Superintendent of Education Ryan Walters has faced repeated calls for impeachment, including from prominent Republican legislators. Questions have been raised about his compliance with open records and meetings laws, as well as the appropriate allocation of public funds. An investigation by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) is currently underway. However, Speaker Charles McCall has made it clear that he will only consider the impeachment request if at least 51 of the 81 Republicans in the Oklahoma House show their support. Unless Walters is convicted of a criminal act, similar to Hiett and Clardy, it is likely that he will remain in office until the end of his term in 2027.
It appears that if there were a recall process in place for state and county officials, there would likely be attempts to remove them from office.
It is difficult to determine if a citizen-led recall attempt in these cases would have the opportunity to be included on the ballot, and even if it did, it is uncertain whether it would receive enough support from voters to be successful.
It is evident that our state lawmakers need to take action and pass a legislative referendum to grant citizens the power to recall any elected official, regardless of their position in the government. This would be achieved through direct democracy, allowing the people to hold objectionable officials accountable.
Recall serves as a vital tool in holding politicians accountable to the people.
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