Petition to Recall Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson Fails

An effort to recall Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson following his switch from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party has failed. The petition, initiated by former Dallas City Council candidate Davante Peters, did not meet the required number of signatures for submission by the deadline set by the city secretary. Peters needed over 103,000 signatures from Dallas voters, which is 15% of residents who voted in the last general municipal election, but fell short of this target.

Despite an online petition from the Dallas County Democratic Party calling for Johnson’s resignation, which garnered just under 3,000 signatures, the recall attempt did not succeed. Johnson, who has been serving as Dallas’ mayor since 2019 in a nonpartisan capacity, faced criticism from some former Democratic allies and voters for his party switch.

In response to the failed recall effort, Johnson labeled it as a partisan “nothing-burger” that was exaggerated by local media. Peters, the activist behind the petition, expressed intentions to resubmit another recall petition after gathering approximately 13,000 signatures initially. The recall was prompted by concerns about Johnson’s commitment to his mayoral duties due to his absence at City Council meetings.