BUCKEYE LAKE, Ohio — Residents of Buckeye Lake could be heading to the polls in late February for a special election to decide whether Mayor Jeryne Peterson will keep her position or be removed from office.
The village council voted unanimously to hold a recall election on Feb. 27 in response to a petition signed by more than 250 residents.
This comes after a turbulent summer for the mayor. She was issued censures twice by village council.
In September, she was issued a vote of no confidence for alleged communication issues and inability to work together, according to village leaders.
A former village staff member has also filed a civil rights complaint against Peterson.
Casey Clark, who ran for mayor and lost to Peterson in 2021, led the petition for the recall vote. It was also signed by each member of village council.
“The people needed to be able to have a voice on the mayor staying in office. Staff has spoken, the council has spoken and the only recourse was for the citizens to be involved and have a voice,” Clark said.
A recall election could be avoided if Peterson chooses to submit her resignation by Friday, but she shared with 10TV that she has no intentions to do so.
“I am not sure where they want to go with this. I have no intentions of leaving my desk. I want to continue moving my village forward. I have brought some good things here and I want to see them through and I am gonna run in 2025. I am not backing down,” Peterson said.
A special election could cost the village anywhere from $6,500 to $8,000, according to the Licking County Board of Elections.
If Mayor Peterson is removed from office by either resignation or recall vote, she will be replaced by Village Council President Linda Goodman until the regular November election.