PilotOnline is reporting that Councilman Randy Wright thinks that Vice Mayor Paul Riddick should step down.
“The racial tensions in this city are just below the surface, and we don’t need elected officials to stir them up,” Wright said.
Further, efforts are underway to recall Riddick from office, with Sheriff Bob McCabe saying that he will support such an effort.
Joshua Paige (no relation) voiced the opinion I have often heard over the years concerning Riddick:
“He speaks for everybody out here,” Paige said. “If you think you can recall Paul Riddick, you’re crazy. The people will not allow that to happen.”
According to the article, the Norfolk charter requires “a number of Ward 4 registered voters equal to 15 percent of those who cast votes in the last election” to sign the petition. If my numbers are correct, there were 9,370 votes cast in Ward 4 last November. Fifteen percent would mean 1,406 signatures required. There are neary 22,000 registered voters in the Ward.
The lines for Ward 4 were redrawn after the last census. While still a minority-majority district, the minority-majority is not as large as it once was. Based on the NCEC data I have, it appears that the district is about 65% black, with whites holding a majority in four of the 12 precincts. Voter turnout in November 2006 was almost three times that of the May council election, when Riddick ran unopposed. The top six precincts in the November election accounted for approximately 64% of the total votes cast – and all four of the white-majority precincts were among the six. In the May council election, the top six precincts accounted for a similar percentage -63% – of the total votes cast but only one of the six was a white-majority precinct.
I say all of this in order to state the obvious: if the recall effort is serious, Vice Mayor Riddick is vulnerable. I don’t often agree with Wright, but in this case, he is correct. The racial tensions of this city are just below the surface. A recall effort would, no doubt, tear the city apart. I doubt if that is what either Mr. Riddick or anyone else who lives here would want. It is certainly not what I would want.
This situation needs to be resolved – soon. Or we could find ourselves embroiled in a nasty fight.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Mark Warner and Tim Kaine better get this under control! They can’t have an enraged Black vote when they are trying to take over the Senate and House this November.
I agree. I don’t think anyone is doubting the tension. You can “feel” it.
I think Vice Mayor Riddick’s intentions are genuine. I think he is truly passionate about his cause. I think his delivery methods are in bad taste and serve no one because of the polarizing effect they have.
The old saying of “there’s more than one way to skin a cat” comes to mind. I think he would be a lot more effective with a little more tact and buffering of his delivery.
I don’t think a recall is in order and I do believe it would further aggravate an already smoldering situation.
Question (in the form of a statement): The media has sent mixed meanings regarding the Vice Mayor position. One journalist states the he “represents the entire City of Norfolk”, while another calls the Vice Mayor position “ceremonial”. I am not sure which is accurate. Maybe you can elaborate.
Hello, maybe they wanted a yes man for vice-mayor, well Mr. Riddick out smarted some of you, he is not a good old boy. Mr. Riddick is right on, someone has the guts to talk about the poverty of values in norfolk.
Scott – the way I understand the VM position is that the VM represents the city when the Mayor is unavailable to do so. That’s why it is considered ceremonial.
I think Vice-Mayor Riddick is a racists and a race-monger.
Norfolk Recall–A recall election for a council member can be requested upon petition of 300 voters of the council member’s ward. The petition must include a statement of the grounds for the recall. The council member who is the subject of the petition may file a statement of defense. The recall petition and statement of defense is then made available for 30 days in a public place within the
council member’s ward for signatures by additional voters. If 15% of the voters in said ward who voted in the last preceding regular
municipal election in which the council member was elected sign the petition, the petition is communicated to the affected council
member. If the affected council member does not resign within five days, a recall election is held.
Question – it says 15% of the voters in the last municipal election. Does that mean the May 2006 election? If so, then were talking about only 450 or so votes!
Yes, i thought about that. Funny to see Riddick’s unopposed re-election making his recall easier.
So do you understand it to be the May election? By the way, the turnout was low across the board, even with the historic directly elected mayor on the ballot.
The procedure laid out in the city charter is pretty convoluted. There are two rounds of signatures involved. The initial petition requires 300 signatures from registered voters in the ward, plus a statement of grounds for removal, which must be 200 words or less. Once the signatures on this petition are verified by the registrar, the council member has 5 days to write a rebuttal, also 200 words or less.
The city clerk then posts the petition with arguments for and against in public for 30 days for inspection and signature. That round requires a number of voters in the ward equal to 15% of the votes cast in the previous municipal election. Once these are verified, the council member has 5 days to resign. Should he refuse to do so, the recall election proceeds.
The kicker in all this is that “[n]o petition to recall any councilman may be filed within one year after he assumes the duties of his office.” I don’t know if this means from the time Riddick first took office, or from the beginning of his current term. If it’s the latter, the initial petition can’t be filed until June.
deja vu
deja vu