If you can't beat 'em, recall 'em!
Two groups have filed with the Colorado Secretary of State's Office as committees that want to recall Gov. Jared Polis (D).
If you'll recall in 2013, Democrats controlled the state House, Senate and Governor's Office. After passing sweeping gun control legislation, two Democratic Senators were recalled and one left office before the vote could happen.
Now, the word "recall" is back.
"Official Recall Colorado Governor Jared Polis" has filed as an issue committee with the Secretary of State's Office.
Its stated purpose is to: "establish a committee to evaluate and discuss a potential recall of Colorado Governor Jared Polis, identify a group of Colorado voters to collect recall petition signatures, and potentially file a petition with the state for a recall. (And also) collect contribution."
The registered agents and filing agent did not return multiple phone calls.
Another group calling itself "Resist Polis PAC" is a political action committee with a stated purpose to "oppose the re-election of Jared Polis as governor of Colorado, including orchestrating a recall effort, by raising public awareness regarding his political acts and ideologies and mobilizing the grassroots of Colorado."
The person behind Resist Polis PAC resisted being part of this story. In an email, he said, "the work Resist Polis PAC is doing is all about results, not attention."
The group's website claims "A recall is coming." Among the reasons it gives for wanting a recall:
To recall a governor, however, requires an enormous effort to collect signatures. The requirement is 25 percent of the number of voters who cast ballots in the last election for that office.
In 2018, 2,525,062 voters cast ballots for governor. The requirement is that 25 percent of that number would need to sign a petition, so the group would need to collect 631,266 signatures just to get the recall question on the ballot for everyone to vote on.
And it turns out, Colorado governors get a six-month probation period. State statute does not allow a recall effort against an elected officer "until the officer has actually held office for at least six months following the last election."
House and Senate members don't get the same leeway.
"Except that a recall petition may be filed against any member of the general assembly at any time after the fifth day following the convening and organizing of the general assembly after the election," the statute says.
That means recall efforts can begin against House and Senate members after their fifth day on the job.
No recall efforts can happen if the elected representative has fewer than six months left on the job.
WATCH: Polis' Promises