More than 7,500 McKinney residents signed a petition to oust their mayor and three city council members, blowing past the required threshold despite what organizers described as “multiple threats to dox recall signers.”
The grassroots effort, which only needed 5,805 signatures to trigger a recall election, delivered the petition to the city secretary on Friday, one day ahead of the deadline. Organizers say they’ve already internally verified at least 6,500 signatures from registered McKinney voters.
The recall targets Mayor Bill Cox and Council Members Justin Beller, Gere Feltus, and Ernest Lynch. According to the petition, the effort stems from “a loss of public confidence in the ability of the officers named herein to faithfully represent the citizens of the City of McKinney.”
Paul Chabot, chairman of Collin County Citizens for Integrity PAC, said the community has spoken clearly.
“McKinney residents are looking for new leadership. Despite multiple threats to dox recall signers, we saw overwhelming support from citizens across the political spectrum,” Chabot said. “We expect the city to follow the law throughout the recall process.”
Chabot added that organizers anticipate a recall election date will be announced soon for any council member who refuses to step down after receiving formal notification from the city secretary.
The recall campaign launched in August and quickly gained momentum among residents frustrated with their local government. Petition volunteer Ashley Marie pushed back against any characterization of the effort as radical.
The recall effort grew after the McKinney City Council voted 7-0 to approve a plan for an Islamic center.
“McKinney residents did what the charter allows them to do. They collected the signatures, they turned them in, and they cleared the threshold organizers were required to meet,” Marie said. “That is not extremism. That is self-government.”
Her words cut to the heart of what recall supporters see as a fundamental exercise in American civic participation. When elected officials lose the trust of the people they serve, the people have every right to seek change through lawful means.
The submission of signatures marks just the beginning of the formal process. Under the McKinney City Charter, the city secretary now has 30 days from the date the petition was received to review and validate the signatures. Organizers acknowledged that submitting the petition does not guarantee certification.
If the petition qualifies and the targeted officials do not resign within the period specified in the charter, Texas state law requires the McKinney City Council to order a recall election.
