Wisconsin Democrats will begin circulating recall petitions for Gov. Scott Walker across the state and on the UW-Madison campus starting Nov. 15.
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin and United Wisconsin, a political action committee organized around recalling Walker, will have until Jan. 13, 60 days, to collect the 540,208 signatures necessary to prompt a recall election.
College Democrats Chair Jordan Weibel said the student group plans to raise awareness about the Walker recall effort on campus.
"We will be everywhere: flyering, tabling in dining halls, going door-to-door in student wards off-campus [and] hitting high traffic areas on campus," Weibel said.
Weibel said he believes the recall petition will be "largely successful," adding students will play a "crucial role" in determining the outcome of the petition and election.
But College Republicans Spokesperson Jeff Snow said it is their goal to emphasize the "undeniable success" of Walker's policies.
"We will actively encourage students not to sign recall petitions and will be on the lookout for fraudulent activity committed by big labor and the Democratic Party while gathering signatures," Snow said in an e-mail.
An elected official must serve for one year before becoming eligible for recall, which Gov. Scott Walker will be as of Jan. 3, 2012. In order for a recall election to be held, organizers must collect 25 percent of the number of votes cast in the 2010 gubernatorial election.
The DPW plans to hold events across the state, including volunteer training events and kick-off rallies to begin collecting signatures.
- Rachel Hahn
