Dozens of recall campaigns are underway across the U.S. ahead of next week's election. Many of the efforts are led by people who oppose any COVID-19-related rules. The races illustrate the contentiousness that has upended usually sleepy school board and city council meetings. The tension is almost certain to last into 2022, when more recall efforts are expected in the spring. Brian Steele is the mayor of Nixa, Missouri, whose future will be on the ballot He was targeted for recall for enacting a mask mandate, even though it had already expired.
In Kansas, eight signatures triggered the recall of Amy Sudbeck, a school board member for the 635-student Nemaha Central district. Sudbeck was appointed to the board in 2020 and attended her first meeting one week before the governor closed schools for the rest of that academic year.
The recall effort started after Sudbeck, who is a nurse, voted with the majority of the board to keep a mask mandate in place through the end of the last school year. Masks are now optional in the district northwest of Kansas City. Even without the recall, Sudbeck was up for election. She is running against one of the organizers of the recall effort.
Nationally, more than 500 attempts to recall elected officials have happened this year.
