Petition to recall Rosensteel underway

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Ryan Rosensteel ASUA Administrative Vice President

Economics sophomore Travis Klein, who is initiating the recall, said he will begin collecting signatures today, three weeks after he brought the matter to Associated Students officials.

Klein has 98 days to collect 3,432 signatures on campus, and must not make "false statements" in order to gain signatures, said Anthony Hill, Associated Students' elections commissioner.

Hill met with Klein yesterday in the ASUA conference room to provide him with recall petitions and discuss the procedures.

"It (the meeting) establishes that we have a working relationship," Hill said. "I can oversee the work that he does."

Klein's petition, which alleges Rosensteel disrespected his constituency and holds a "worthless" position, no longer includes charges of questionable campaign practices.

Rosensteel said yesterday he is aware the recall drive has begun, but refused comment on the issue.

Hill called for an investigation of campaign procedures, but ASUA officials deemed the inquiry unnecessary because it should have been handled by the previous elections commissioner.

Klein said he was upset the charge was dropped, and that ASUA has taken weeks to begin the recall.

"This whole thing is giving me gray hair," he said. "The (ASUA) Supreme Court dragged their feet (and) the Senate dragged their feet."

Klein said he has people working on his behalf, but declined to say how many.

"We should be done (collecting signatures) by the end of the semester," he said.

The signatures may come from undergraduate and graduate students, although the Graduate and Professional Student Council has said it will remain uninvolved with the issue, Hill said.

This is the first recall petition to be issued toward an ASUA member, Hill said. It is important that the elections commissioner meet with the person initiating the recall, he added.

"There is such a great concern that this is conducted in a fair manner," Hill said. "I'm trying to do this in the most fair way possible."

Erin Mahoney can be reached via e-mail at Erin.Mahoney@wildcat.arizona.edu.