City Of Williston Clarifies Recall Petition Handling Issues
The City of Williston said it followed all statutory requirements during the recent recall petition process and rejected claims that officials missed deadlines or mishandled the procedure.
According to the city, the recall petition was submitted March 2 and initially contained 1,265 valid signatures, falling 43 short of the required 1,308 signatures needed to move forward. State law allowed the city 30 days to review and certify the petition.
The city said it returned the petition March 31 to allow corrections, citing case law and what it described as a good-faith effort to remain fair and impartial. Corrections were submitted April 16, and the recall election was certified to the county April 30.
On May 4, the county auditor informed the city that statutory timing constraints would prevent the county from conducting the election, meaning the city would need to administer it independently. The same day, the city received an anonymous complaint involving a notarized petition page and concerns about notary validity.
City officials said they then sought additional guidance from the North Dakota Secretary of State's Office.
On May 6, the city said the Secretary of State’s Office advised that recall petitions are considered final upon submission and should not be returned for corrections or supplementation. According to the city, that interpretation was provided after the recall petition had already been certified.
In response, the city announced the recall certification would be rescinded and the petition process would need to begin again in compliance with state law.
The city said it acted throughout the process in consultation with the Secretary of State’s Office, the North Dakota Attorney General's Office, legal counsel and county officials. Officials also said the city never attempted to delay or halt the recall effort and instead relied on the guidance available at the time.
The city further stated that it has continued providing information publicly and accused critics of circulating false or misleading claims regarding the recall process.
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