Data center opponents say they aren’t giving up efforts to recall Mason Mayor Russell Whipple over his handling of a data center project proposed for the city.
Signed recall petitions were rejected by Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum because the language wasn’t the same as what was approved by the county Election Commission.
She said the petitioners would have to re-start the process from scratch, and there wouldn’t be enough time to get the recall on the November ballot.
Paula Caltrider of Michigan Citizens Against Data Centers said the group will refocus on getting the recall on the May 2027 election ballot—and they already have a head start.
“This is a marathon and not a sprint,” Caltrider told WKAR Radio. “We can still start over and get those signatures.
“We have copies of everybody that signed the ballot and we also have the voter registration.”
A second recall petition against Mason City Councilwoman Elaine Ferris passed Byrum’s initial inspection and continues under review. Byrum, the county clerk, said those petitions are currently under review by her office.