There may be reason for Gov. Rod Blagojevich, or any other elected state official, to feel a little uncomfortable these days.

Illinois legislation currently being debated would allow for elected officials to be recalled, including the governor, who has recently been rebuked by many voters and legislators.

However, the legislation might not affect Blagojevich, who could be done with his second term before the legislation would even go into effect.

“There’s recall and there’s ‘Recall Rod,'” said Elizabeth Austin, communications director for Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn. “The issue is not the governor’s recall. The legislation Quinn is supporting would allow his own recall.”

Recall power could enable voters to hold their elected officials to a higher standard.

“It gives power to voters who feel an elected official is not fulfilling his or her duty,” Austin said.

Recall legislation is not out of the question in Illinois, as other states have employed recall power in past years.

“Recall provisions for statewide constitutional officers are in place in 18 other states, including California, where Gray Davis was recalled in 2003,” said Matthew Streb, assistant professor of political science.

While the ability to recall an elected politician may seem beneficial to voters, it could have drawbacks.

“Recall elections are controversial,” Streb said. “Some argue that the process is democracy at its best; others complain that the process is dominated by politics. Although, interestingly in the case of Blagojevich, it is members of his own party who are calling for him to be replaced.”

Blagojevich is not opposed to the legislation.

“Historically, he has supported a recall provision,” said Blagojevich spokesperson Gerardo Cardenas.

Still, Cardenas did hint that a recall could only cause more unsteadiness at the state level.

State Rep. Bob Pritchard (R-Hinckley), in his fourth year as a state representative, expressed displeasure with the first year of Blagojevich’s second term.

“Each year is different; this year is the worst,” Pritchard said. “He’s not doing things that are really in the best interest of Illinois. It all stems back to this administration’s philosophy of how they’re going to run things.”

Illinois officials should first consider the need to reform state programs, “rather than someone’s pet project or someone’s campaign fund,” Pritchard said.

Funding was provided for construction projects that weren’t in the state’s best interest, Pritchard said.

“When you look back, it’s incredible,” Pritchard said. “Those are grounds to say, do we have the right leadership?”

Some DeKalb residents felt voters and legislators shouldn’t hold the power of recall.

“Everybody has a chance to vote in the election,” said Gayle Dannenberg of DeKalb. “It’s too late now.”

Bill Frazier of DeKalb agreed.

“Once they’re elected, it would be good to keep them, unless there’s been something illegal that’s been done,” Frazier said.

Amid the talk of a Blagojevich recall, the governor remains committed to his agenda.

“The governor is doing exactly what he told people he would do,” Cardenas said.

Recall specifics

“Under the proposed constitutional amendment, an effort to recall a state constitutional officer – the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller or Treasurer – would require signatures equal to 12 percent of the previous vote total for that office. For example, turnout in the 2006 election of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor totaled 3,486,671. So it would require at least 418,401 signatures to put a recall initiative on the ballot, and it would require approval by more than 50 percent of voters to recall the official.”

Source: Lieutenant Governor’s office