News

Recall election petition against Marsden verified

By Scott Wagar

03/20/2012

The recall petition for Mayor Doug Marsden has been certified by City Auditor Penny Nostdahl, which now leaves Marsden to make one of two decisions.

On Friday morning, Nostdahl certified the recall election petition on Marsden, and officially notified the mayor about the petition around the 9 a.m. hour.

Marsden now has 10 days to resign as Bottineau’s mayor if he chooses to do so; or, he can stay on as the mayor and his name will automatically go on the ballot for his recall.

In the state of North Dakota, a recall election has to take place within 90 days of the petition being verified.

However, North Dakota law also states that a recall election does not need to take place separately from a general election if it is held in less than 90 days of a general election. Because of this law, and due to the fact that the city election will be held within 89 days of Friday when the petition was certified, it has been decided that Marsden’s name will be placed on the June 12 city election ballot if he does not resign.
Due to state law, if Marsden’s name is placed on the city’s general election ballot, any individual who wants to run for the mayor’s position will have to have his or her name on the June 12 ballot at the same time as Marsden. On election day, voters will then have the opportunity to vote to keep Marsden as their mayor, or vote in a new mayor to replace Marsden.  

If the mayor resigns by March 25, individuals who want to make a bid for his seat will still have to place their names on the city ballot to be elected.

The individual who is elected mayor will finish the remaining two years Marsden has left in his term as mayor.  

Individuals, who want to run for the mayor’s site, must fill out an election petition, receive 94 signatures from the town’s local residents and file the petition in the city auditor’s office by 4 p.m., April 13. Petitions are currently available at the auditor’s office.

The committee that filed the recalled election petition needed 92 signatures to file the position. The committee brought Nostdahl 127 signatures, which were verified by her through checking the signatures and randomly calling 60 of the individuals who signed the recall petition.