A recall petition has been officially filed to remove St. Tammany Parish Coroner Christopher Tape on the grounds that he’s unfit for office. Tape was charged with six counts of child sexual assault in New Mexico but was never tried on a technicality. Dillard University Political Science Professor Robert Collins said recalls are extremely difficult and rarely successful.
“People understand the facts and the accusations of the case. I still think it’s very difficult, but I think it has a better chance than most recall elections,” said Collins.
Tape ran unopposed for the coroner, and it was an investigative reporter who brought his questionable background to light.
Dillard said that obtaining enough voter signatures is an expensive undertaking and challenging.
“And they’re going to have to get highly organized, hire a campaign manager, and then raise money so that campaign manager can actually do his or her job,” said Collins.
Dillard said the most efficient way to obtain enough signatures, in this case, the threshold is 35,000 signatures, is to mail voters affidavits, have them sign them, and return them in a postage-paid envelope.
“So doing direct mail and using that sort of technology that costs money and you need a professional who understands how to run the direct mail so that’s going to be the challenge,” Dillard.
A recent recall effort to remove New Orleans Mayor LaTonya was unsuccessful.
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