Lessons from the past: The Rizzo Recall in PA

[PCIntern]

Many years ago, there was an effort made to recall Mayor Frank Rizzo here in Philadelphia. the city was so galvanized in two directions that politics became the number one issue constantly in everyone's mind. Everyone who was wlaking and taling was offerred a peitition to sign for the recall, it dominated the news for months and it overshadowed everything else here. People had never experienced anything like it before, but the memories have faded and it was two or three political generations ago.

This election has the same level of energy here. It is just remarkable how vibrant the climate is. If you talk to just about anyone, they'll tell you that they're voting, their family's voting, and that people who never ever vote are voting. This is going to be some night on Tuesday. The polls will be jammed all day I'm certain. Those pundits who discussed large turnout will be alluding to it all night. They're already beginning to gin up the explanations for the Kerry landslide...it's subtle but present.

[monchie]

1. Fellow vet of the Rizzo years here...

Your memory is playing a few tricks...the recall never made it to the ballot, because the recall provision of the city charter was overruled by the PA Supreme Court.

You're probably remembering Rizzo's attempt to overturn the two-term limit on the mayor's office so he could run again: The Charter Change election. Two things stand out in my memory.

1. The incompetent attempt to steal the election by sabotaging the voting machines. There was a massive breakdown of voting machines throughout the city that just happened to affect only the liberal and minority wards. When I attempted to vote at my precinct in University City at 8 A.M., all four voting machines, for the two precincts that voted there, were broken. I ended up returning to vote in mid afternoon, and the machines had been repaired.

2. The pollsters never called the election. The polls were very close, about 50-50, but IIRC there was a large amount of undecideds. The Charter Change amendment went down, though, by about a 2-1 margin.

[PCIntern]

2. I didn't say there was a ballot referendum, did I

I was talking about the excitement in the air.

I didn't even mention all the crap which occurred during the process - dirty tricks, forgeries, etc.

The charter change was a whole different story as you mentioned...I deliberately avoided that for the purposes of this discussion. My point was that here was a man so hated by a segment of the populus that the notion of recalling him out was energizing.

Keep the faith

[monchie]

3. Ah ok...

Yes, but the campaign to stop the charter change was energizing as well, and there was excitement and determination in the air, especially after the disappointment of having the recall stopped in its tracks.

[brooklynite]

4. I remember it well...

it was the second election I was eligible to vote for, but even though I'd before previously, my registration mysteiously diappeared, so I went to get a court order to vote. And, its where I met my (now) wife; she was working with the local reform ward, and I was working with the Anti Rizzo Charter Defense Committee.