IRON MOUNTAIN — The Dickinson County Election Commission will have a clarity hearing Feb. 2, concerning recall petitions submitted against four members of the Dickinson County Board. The petitions are directed at Board Chair Dan Harrington of Breitung Township, and commissioners Kevin Sullivan of Iron Mountain, Peter Swanson of Breitung Township, and Victoria Jakel of Norway.

The four commissioners, all Republicans, won four-year terms in the November 2024 election.

The petition filed by George Wiedenhoeft of Breitung Township against Harrington states:

“On Jan. 13, 2025, Commissioner Dan Harrington voted in favor of eliminating Dickinson County funding for the Michigan State University Extension office, resulting in the loss of local 4-H, agricultural education, and community extension services.”

The petition filed by Jason Gibbs of Iron Mountain against Sullivan states:

“On May 12, 2025, Commissioner Sullivan voted in favor of a motion to reduce the Dickinson County Board of Commissioners’ regular schedule from two meetings per month to one, combining the regular and finance meetings, thereby reducing opportunities for public comment and citizen participation in county board proceedings.”

The petition filed by Robert Simon of Vulcan against Jakel states:

“On Jan. 13, 2025, Commissioner Victoria Jakel voted in favor of eliminating Dickinson County funding for the Michigan State University Extension office, resulting in the discontinuation of local 4-H programming and related community services.”

The petition filed by Beth Provencher of Breitung Township against Swanson states:

“On Jan. 13, 2025, Commissioner Peter Swanson voted in favor of eliminating Dickinson County funding for the Michigan State University Extension Office, resulting in the loss of youth services in Dickinson County.”

According to the Michigan Bureau of Elections, recall language must be reviewed by the County Election Commission to determine whether the reasons cited for recall are factual and of sufficient clarity. The Dickinson panel by statute consists of County Clerk Carol Bronzyk, County Treasurer Lorna Carey and Probate Judge Thomas Slagle.

The Feb. 2 hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. in the Dickinson sheriff’s office conference room.

If a petition is found valid for circulation and there is no court appeal, the number of signatures needed to trigger a recall election is 25% of the votes cast in the respective commissioner’s district for all candidates for the office of governor in the 2022 election.

According to Bronzyk, if a petition drive succeeds, a special election would be scheduled for Nov. 3. The commissioner whose recall is sought is automatically listed as a candidate, while the opposing political party’s executive committee nominates a candidate as well. Candidates without political party affiliation may seek a spot on the ballot through a qualifying petition.

The county board’s fifth member — Republican Joe Stevens of Kingsford — sought to retain county funding for MSU-Extension and also spoke against the board’s decision last year to reduce the number of regular meetings. Stevens is entering his 32nd year on the board. The four targeted for recall are serving their first terms.

For commissioners serving four-year terms, the filing of a recall petition is not allowed during the first or last year of the term. Also, if the incumbent wins a recall election, no further recall petition may be filed against the same incumbent during the remainder of the term.

Gibbs announced the recall effort earlier this month, but the petitions had to be refiled on proper circulation documents before a clarity hearing could be scheduled.