SALEM, OR. — William Minnix, the man preparing to launch a statewide recall campaign against Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, is publicly accusing the Oregon Secretary of State’s Elections Division of dragging its feet and obstructing the process. He says the agency’s delay in approving his recall petition is not only unfair, but unconstitutional.
Minnix claims he has met all legal and procedural requirements to initiate the recall, but as of August 1, the Secretary of State’s office has yet to authorize him to begin collecting signatures — a step that is critical to meeting the strict 90-day deadline required by law.
However, the Oregon Secretary of State’s office confirmed in a phone call to the Grants Pass Tribune today that William Minnix did not submit all the required paperwork until the afternoon of July 31st, at which time Elections Office staff informed Mr. Minnix that he would receive an answer by end of day on August 1st The petition was officially approved at 9:12 a.m. on August 1st, clearing the way for Minnix to begin collecting signatures—a crucial next step in the tightly regulated recall process. With the clock now ticking on the 90-day window mandated by law, Minnix must gather the required number of valid signatures to move the effort forward.
Under Oregon law, a recall petition against the governor must gather 15% of the total number of votes cast in the last gubernatorial election — over 400,000 valid signatures — within 90 days of receiving official authorization. Minnix argues that the Elections Division’s failure to act quickly jeopardizes the entire effort and constitutes a denial of his rights under both the Oregon and U.S. Constitutions.
Minnix did not specify the reason for seeking Governor Kotek’s removal, but his statements emphasize the principle of fair access to democratic mechanisms — especially the right to petition government for redress.
“The integrity of the recall process depends on neutral and timely execution of election laws, regardless of political consequences,” Minnix said. “When bureaucrats slow-walk the process, whether intentionally or not, they effectively rob the public of the opportunity to hold elected officials accountable.”
As of today, with the recall petition is authorized, Minnix and his supporters will have a limited window to begin a massive grassroots signature-gathering campaign — one he hopes will resonate with voters who feel disillusioned with Governor Kotek’s leadership.