Recall Effort Against WA Governor Over Tax Hike Faces Uphill Battle

An effort to recall Gov. Bob Ferguson over his signing of a budget that includes roughly $9 billion in new taxes is likely a symbolic effort at best, given the high bar for removing a governor from office.

Several recall attempts were made against former Gov. Jay Inslee, but all were unsuccessful.

Historically, only two governors in the United States have been successfully recalled: former California Gov. Gray Davis in 2003 and former North Dakota Gov. Lynn Frazier in 1921.

Shannon Soderlund, a gas station worker in McCleary, a city in Grays Harbor County in Washington state, had gathered over 56,000 signatures as of Monday afternoon to recall Ferguson, who previously served 12 years as state attorney general.

In a Monday interview with The Center Square, Soderlund said she’s never been particularly active in politics, other than posting to social media, but felt compelled to act when Ferguson signed Washington’s nearly $78 billion operating budget into law last month.

“You know, I have to pay property taxes, as do many people, I know,” Soderlund said. “So, my main reason for starting the petition was because Gov. Ferguson is raising property taxes, plus a lot of other taxes. It will affect everyone in Washington and make it more unaffordable.”

The petition starter conceded that gathering enough signatures to get a recall petition for a statewide elected official on the ballot is not easy.

“It is tough. I think it’s more a matter of sending a message and inspiring people to fight back,” Soderlund said. “I’m not sure that this will do anything, but I’m glad that it’s getting coverage and people are aware that we are the people, and we have the power to recall a governor, even though it’s difficult, it still should be done, or at least attempted.”