State recall amendment on today's ballot

SPRINGFIELD -- At the same time they fill out their ballots to choose Illinois' next governor, voters could also give themselves the chance to oust unpopular governors in the future.

Voters will decide today whether to amend the Illinois Constitution to give residents the power of recall.

The process was most famously used in California in 2003 to toss Democrat Gray Davis from the governorship and install Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In Illinois, the Rod Blagojevich scandal spurred some people to want the same opportunity here in the future.

“If it wasn't for Rod Blagojevich, this wouldn't have a chance,” said state Rep. Jack Franks, the Marengo Democrat who sponsored the proposal in the Illinois General Assembly.

Critics, though, say the recall plan being voted on today would be too hard to carry out. To recall a governor, citizens would need to collect about 500,000 signatures. Lawmakers from both parties would have to sign on, too.

Recall might not be necessary at all, argues Mark Rosen, a constitutional law professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law. If a governor performs really poorly, lawmakers could use impeachment, like they did with Blagojevich.

And elections come around every four years, giving another opportunity for change.

Rosen says the prospect of recall could scare a governor out of making the tough, unpopular decisions that leaders sometimes need to make.

“They know that they could be subject to recall,” Rosen said.

“It makes sense to give that person a certain number of years to get the job done,” he added.

But Franks defends the plan, saying history shows voters in other states resort to recall only in extreme cases.

If approved, recall in Illinois would only apply to the governor.