Petition to recall Alaska’s governor rejected

The Alaska Division of Elections rejected a petition to recall Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R), the Anchorage Daily News reported.

Alaska Attorney General Kevin Clarkson said in his opinion that the petition did not “meet any of the listed grounds for recall — neglect of duty, incompetence, or lack of fitness.”

{mosads}“The recall application failed to make these showings. The grounds of incompetence and lack of fitness, as a matter of law, were not applicable here,” the Daily News reported Clarkson said in a written statement.

The Recall Dunleavy group launched the initiative to recall the governor in August, saying he misused and vetoed state funds, declined to appoint a judge and violated the separation of powers. 

The Recall Dunleavy group collected more than 49,000 signatures in support in slightly more than a month after Dunleavy vetoed more than $400 million from the state budget. Since then, about half of the vetoes have been switched back.

The group plans to file an appeal Tuesday in the Anchorage Superior Court, according to a press release.

“Without question, the recall application submitted to the Division of Elections meets the standard under Alaska law,” Jahna Lindemuth, recall attorney and former attorney general, said in a written statement. “This rejection is without basis, and we will now turn to the courts for a remedy. We do so with confidence that we will receive fair treatment and we will prevail.”

The governor, who is currently in Japan, said in a statement that the decision “appears to be well reasoned.”

“As I have always said, the allegations by the recall group are not legitimate reasons to overturn the outcome of the statewide election held barely a year ago,” Dunleavy said.

The group had to gather more than 28,501 signatures to send the petition to the division of elections. If the petition is approved in court, 71,252 signatures would be needed to spark a special election. If Dunleavy is recalled, that would make Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer the governor.

— Updated on Nov. 5 at 10:13 a.m.