A bill that would allow for the removal of elected city officials through a special election has been filed in the Wyoming Legislature.

The bill would allow citizens wanting to recall a city official to circulate a petition asking for a recall election. If the petition could garner the signatures of at least 20 percent of the registered voters in the community, the petition would be sent to the city council, which would call for a special election within 30 to 40 days.

The bill then calls for a special primary election to be held on the second Tuesday before the recall election. The bill spells out how the process would then proceed:

''(iv)  Any person sought to be removed from office according to this section may be a candidate to succeed himself, and unless that person requests otherwise in writing at least ten (10) days before the date of a special primary election held in accordance with subsection (b) of this section, the clerk shall place that person's name on the special removal election ballot without nomination. If no candidates are nominated pursuant to subsection (b) of this section to run against the person sought to be removed, no special removal election shall be held, and the person sought to be removed shall continue in office.

b)  Candidates other than the person sought to be removed from office shall be nominated by application and a special primary election if necessary. A special primary election shall be held on the second Tuesday before the date fixed for the special removal election if there are two (2) or more persons nominated by application. The special primary election shall be conducted in the same manner as other municipal elections, except the candidate filing fee and application shall be filed with the city clerk at least ten (10) days before the date of the special primary election, and the certification of candidates shall be at least five (5) days before the date of the special primary election. In any special primary election the candidate or candidates receiving the highest number of votes are elected to proceed to the special removal election. If the person sought to be removed from office is a candidate in the special removal election, one (1) opposing candidate shall be selected at the special primary election.

 (c)  In any special removal election the candidate receiving the highest number of votes is elected. The person sought to be removed from office shall be removed from office upon the qualification of the person sought to be removed's successor, who shall hold office during the unexpired portion of the term for which the person sought to be removed was elected. If the candidate who receives the highest number of votes fails to qualify within ten (10) days after receiving notification of election, the office is vacant and shall be filled as provided by law.''

 State law currently has no provisions for removing elected city officials from office under the forms of city government that are currently in use anywhere in Wyoming.

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