Recall elections often cause more division

Hamtramck has been no stranger to the recall election efforts of elected officials.
In the 1990s, there was a flurry of recall petitions and elections, as a new generation of elected officials were challenging what was then called the “old guard” in Hamtramck politics.
Now there is a recent recall effort — which has been dealt a setback — against Hamtramck School Boardmember Regan Watson over her ongoing absences from board meetings.
We understand the concern over those absences, and the lack of an explanation from Watson as to why she failed to attend meetings. And we understand why parents would be especially concerned about this.
Whether the recall eventually moves forward will be up to voters.
But one thing we found, in covering past recall elections, is how divisive they become — and how they can often end up pitting community members against each other.
Recalls are tools to use when elected officials fail miserably at their job.
But we urge caution when using this tool, because we’ve seen in the past what damage it can cause to a community.
To paraphrase President Abraham Lincoln’s famous “Nation Divided” speech: A community divided against itself cannot stand.
In the meantime, the issue of attendance on the school board can be addressed at any time by the board. By that we mean, the board can set an actual policy on board member attendance.
As of the time we went to press on Thursday, the board has yet to create such a policy, despite the fact that most public bodies have attendance policies.
See how easy this could be?
Posted Feb. 21, 2025