Ethan Hale stood alone, accompanied only by a journalist from Houston Public Media, at the Houston City College campus on Monday, embarking on a mission to gather over 63,000 signatures for a recall effort against Mayor John Whitmire.
“I don’t think he’s taking the city on a good path. I think we’re funding the wrong things. We’re not funding the right things,” Hale stated, having temporarily paused his studies to commit fully to the recall campaign.
Hale collected approximately ten signatures within the first hour of canvassing, a count he believed could have been higher if more students were willing to disclose their addresses, which are necessary for the petition.
Armed with clipboards, Hale noticed a misspelling on the signature forms that he held, which read “petiton.” It remains unclear if these forms will be deemed valid by the Houston City Secretary.
The recall initiative boasts a grassroots organization of around 100 individuals, including four leadership roles, according to Hale. He suggested that the broader network of participants might number between 200 to 300 individuals across various groups, driven by dissatisfaction with Whitmire’s policies.
A significant point of contention for the group is the mayor’s approach to mobility, specifically the removal of traffic safety features and cyclist infrastructure, coupled with an increase in funding for the Houston Police Department.
Mayor Whitmire has previously dismissed the recall effort as “silly.”
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, it was emphasized that “Mayor Whitmire is not distracted. He continues to focus on the job Houstonians elected him to do.”
Hale mentioned that canvassing would primarily occur along METRO’s Red Line light-rail route, while the recall organizers had promoted the Midtown canvasing event on social media. However, Hale noted that additional canvassers were active in several other neighborhoods, although he could not specify which ones.
The recall movement has generated local media attention, with multiple stories covering it, including reports from Houston Public Media. The campaign to remove Whitmire gained momentum after the organizers began reaching out to journalists, hoping to boost public awareness and financial support.
Hale recently announced his candidacy for a special election to fill a seat on the Houston City Council.
Throughout its fundraising journey, the group has presented varying financial goals. Initially, an organizer highlighted that they had raised $3,600 towards a target of $250,000 in April. By June, another update indicated they had collected over $1,500 from a revised goal of $100,000. Hale subsequently reported that they had amassed $4,500 by June, recognizing the reliance on volunteers for the effort.
To successfully place the recall question on the May ballot, the group must accumulate over 63,000 signatures within a 30-day timeframe. Comparatively, amendments to the city charter require a significantly lesser count of 20,000 signatures spread over a 180-day period.
Prior successful charter amendments, such as Propositions A and B, barely met the signature thresholds in 2023. Proposition A supporters submitted nearly 40,000 signatures; the city managed to verify 20,482 of them. Meanwhile, Proposition B supporters collected 23,665 verified signatures.
Despite Hale’s determination, recent polling indicates that Mayor Whitmire maintains substantial support. According to a survey from the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs, 59% of registered voters approved of Whitmire after completing his first year in office.
Political scientist Mark Jones from Rice University remarked that the popularity of the mayor poses a significant barrier for those gathering signatures for the recall. He stated, “The mayor is quite popular, so the difficulty that these signature gatherers face is not only just getting the signatures, but getting them to recall Mayor Whitmire. In many cases, people they approach might express support for the mayor, which could lead to resistance or hostility towards their efforts.”
When asked about the challenges of gathering signatures, Hale acknowledged the daunting task ahead.
“I think this is a Hail Mary play,” Hale admitted. “The odds have been stacked against us from day one. But to me, it doesn’t matter. It’s about doing what’s right, even if we might fail. Nevertheless, we’re going to put them on blast. We’re going to get the eyes on everything going on in the city.”
This report has been updated to include the signature submission numbers for Proposition A supporters in 2023.
image source from：houstonpublicmedia
