KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The effort to hold a recall election of Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. on Aug. 26, 2025, is back on.
On Friday, eight members of the Jackson County Legislature voted to override a veto White made Thursday of an ordinance that set a recall election for Aug. 26.
“As a matter of democratic norms and respect for our civic institutions, we recognize that an elected official attempting to veto a legitimate election, to evade accountability to the voters personally, is fundamentally wrong and a violation of the public trust,” Legislative Chairman DaRon McGee said in a statement after the vote. “We owe it to the residents of Jackson County who called for this election using the legal process laid out in our charter to respect their will, honor their effort, and let them decide this County’s future.”
Though White’s veto was overturned, the prospects of the Aug. 26 recall election still hinge on two pending civil cases up for hearings in Jackson County Circuit Court.
One case, filed last week by the Kansas City, Missouri, and Jackson County Election Boards, claimed they would not be able to meet all the legal requirements of hosting an election on Aug. 26. A judge is set to review the matter next month.
Another case, filed by four Jackson County voters, is urging a judge to green light the Aug. 26 election.
During Friday’s session, Legislator Megan Smith offered a new ordinance that would set the recall election for Nov. 4, 2025. Legislators did not take up the ordinance for a vote.
RELATED | Groups call on Jackson County Executive Frank White to resign
Legislators overrode two additional vetoes Friday. They restored an ordinance calling for a Nov. 4, 2025, election for voters to choose whether the Jackson County Assessor should be an elected position.
They also restored an ordinance that extended the deadline for seniors to apply for a property tax freeze.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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