Recall efforts not part of Carson's history

The recall petition filed by a Carson City resident against Mayor Marv Teixeira may have made local history.

Though residents have complained about their elected representatives over the years, a recall hasn't happened in Carson City or Ormsby County, according to local and state officials.

Nevadans have been able to attempt recalls since 1912, but "it's pretty hard," said Alan Glover, the city's clerk-recorder.

Rheba Montrose announced Friday her intention to collect the signatures needed to trigger a recall election of the mayor, who was arrested for a DUI in March. He was convicted of a misdemeanor charge of drunken driving in April.

Teixeira had little to say about the recall effort.

"I'm just going to go about my business," he said Monday. "I'm just going to do my job."

While more than 5,500 signatures are required, each person must be a resident of the city and registered voter. Glover advised it would take many more signatures - possibly 7,000 or 8,000 - than the required number for organizers. Signatures are checked and quite a few end up not being valid, he said. For example, some may be duplicate signatures while other signers may not be residents or registered to vote.

The closest thing to a recall in Carson City was an elected official being removed by court order, according to Guy Rocha, interim administrator, Nevada State Library and Archives.

"It's not used a lot," Rocha said.

Jack Schumacher was elected Ormsby County assessor in 1960 and there were apparently "all sorts of problems" with his job performance, he said.

His case was taken to court, then appealed to the state Supreme Court, where it was ordered in April 1962 that he be removed from office because of nonfeasance.

The Senate Journal years later cited such problems with Schumacher such as a "failure to properly assess certain properties, failure to file statutorily required lists of assessed properties, and failure to require statements of value."

Schumacher ran again for assessor but lost to Wally Cudworth, a Democrat, Rocha said.

Every elected public official in the state of Nevada, except United States senators and congressional representatives, could be recalled. Someone appointed to an elected office also could be recalled, according to Nevada Revised Statutes.

After one recall petition has been successfully filed and a special election held, but unsuccessful, no further recall petitions can be filed against the same public official during their term unless petitioners pay for the preceding special election.

• Contact reporter Terri Harber at harbor @nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 215.

How the recall process works

Three city residents who are also registered voters must sign a notice of intent. This notice was signed by Rheba Montrose, and Melwyn and Sandra Daugherty.

Organizers need to present a petition stating - in less than 200 words - why they're seeking recall of an elected official and collect enough signatures to show it's a valid effort.

If there are enough valid signatures, 25 percent of the number who voted during the official's previous election, the official is given five days to decide whether he or she would resign. If the official doesn't want to resign, a special election is called.

Estimated cost for this type of election could reach $40,000.

- Secretary of State's office, Carson City clerk-recorder's office