Chris Anderson recall has no merit

photo Chris Anderson has filed suit to halt a petition calling for his recall.

It's a shame Chris Anderson had to file a lawsuit against the Hamilton County Election Commission because the body couldn't or wouldn't do its job, which is to determine whether there is legal and nondiscriminatory cause to permit a recall and charge taxpayers for an extra election.

Anderson, the District 7 Chattanooga councilman, is the city's first openly gay council member, and he has been serving only nine months. The petition to recall him states simply: "...we have not been properly represented" by him. The recall effort was mounted by Charlie Wysong who does not live in District 7 and who is a long-time anti-gay voice in Chattanooga. He started the recall after the council voted to extend city benefits to domestic partners, including those in same-sex relationships.

Although state law does not define the "proper form" that it requires county election commissions to uphold on voter petitions, it's certain that "proper form" would not be discriminatory, let alone just absurdly vague.

By this logic, should Hillary Clinton become president, she should be careful not to propose or support any legislation pertaining to women.

Aside from common sense thinking, the election commission plainly owed it to Anderson and Chattanooga voters to look deeper than the vague petition preamble. Even recorded in council sessions and news stories were comments from Wysong and other petitioners that should have made this recall effort one for the round file.

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