Petition circulating to recall JoCo Commissioner Simon Hare

Update Dec. 30 6:10 p.m.

Grants Pass, Ore. — A petition to recall Josephine County Commissioner Simon Hare has been approved by the county clerk and is now circulating for signatures.

Hare is under fire after he was arrested in Eugene for a DUII and reckless driving on Dec. 10th.

The Grants Pass man who filed the paperwork for the recall, Mark Kelsey, said it’s time for Hare to move on from his position.

“He no longer represents Josephine County in a positive way,” Kelsey said.

This isn’t the first time the commissioner has faced trouble. In 2013 the Department of Justice said there wasn’t enough evidence to charge Hare with lying about someone stealing his car, then filing a false report. Last December Hare admitted to sending suggestive text messages to two young women from somebody else’s phone that he took in a bar. He said it was a mistake. The family said they believed Hare was drunk at the time. He denies that, but said he was drinking.

Kelsey said he’s not the only one fed up with the commissioner’s behavior.

“I think the good majority have come to their wits end,” he said. “There’s that three strikes you’re out and he’s hit that three strikes rule.”

Kelsey has 90 days to get 5,094 signatures for the potential recall. But he’s not intimidated by the deadline.

“I have a feeling we can do it. Looking at small percentages that have been polled they have him recalled,” he said. “I think it’s a very feasible option.”

The county clerk will have 10 days to verify the signatures if they’re collected on time. If they’re legitimate, Hare will have five days to either resign or submit a letter of justification.

Hare’s Attorney Jacob Daniels said Hare doesn’t plan to resign.

“Commissioner Hare’s work on the County Commission speaks for itself. He is a hardworking public servant who intends to fulfill the remainder of his term as a County Commissioner,” Daniels said in a statement.

Kelsey said he’ll go door to door and stand outside of businesses collecting signatures. You can also print a petition from the Facebook page Citizens to recall Simon Hare.

If everything goes according to Kelsey’s plan, the recall will be on the May 17th ballot.

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Grants Pass, Ore. — A petition to recall Josephine County Commissioner Simon Hare has been approved by the county clerk.

Chief Petitioner Mark Kelsey filed the petition Tuesday. It was approved for circulation Wednesday. Chief Deputy County Clerk Trisha Myers said county residents have 90 days to collect 5,094 signatures. Then the county clerk will have 10 days to verify the signatures. If they’re legitimate, Hare will have five days to either resign or submit a letter of justification. If he submits the letter an election will have to be held within 35 days.

Kelsey said he timed it out so the recall would be placed on the May 17th ballot.

Hare is under fire after being arrested in Eugene on December 10th for DUII and reckless driving. Hare was in Eugene on official business, but was driving his personal vehicle and not engaged in business at the time he was arrested.

Hare’s attorney, Jacob Daniels, has released the following statement to NBC5 News:

“Commissioner Hare’s work on the County Commission speaks for itself. He is a hardworking public servant who intends to fulfill the remainder of his term as a County Commissioner.”