Author: Sam Buisman

Right-wing Madisonians launch a recall effort against Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. 

Last weekend, Madisonian and Republican Party activist Jon Rygiewicz launched the “Recall Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway” Facebook page, which has since garnered over 320 likes, along with an accompanying Twitter account and webpage. The pages demand Rhodes-Conway's recall over what they see as failures to control recent downtown protests and Dane County's COVID-19 lockdown measures. 

The group outlined their grievances in a press release published on Facebook. 

“Rhodes-Conway has ignored her oath of office, turned her back on law-abiding citizens,” reads the release. “Instead she played politics. Rather than alleviating danger, she has exacerbated it.” 

In an interview with WKOW,  Rhodes-Conway said that she has not gotten in contact with the group, nor does she plan to. 

Despite recent spats with the Mayor, progressive activist groups have come out against this recall effort due to its right-wing origins. 

“Do not sign this recall petition,” said a spokesperson for Urban Triage, which has organized many of Madison's recent Black Lives Matter protests, through a release. “As everyone knows, I'm the opposite of a fan of Satya, but this is a rightwing ‘We Support the Madison Police Department' effort.” 

Wisconsin law allows citizens to petition for a recall election against any elected official. To be granted a recall election, petitioners must gather a number of supporting signatures that is equal to 25% of the turnout of the last gubernatorial election within that municipality in 60 days. Thus, to initiate a recall election in Madison, this group will need to gather roughly 40,000 signatures from Madison voters.