Group working to recall Houston Mayor John Whitmire gains steam

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Recall Houston, a group working to recall Houston Mayor John Whitmire, is gaining steam and readying for a push to get the effort on the ballot in 2025.

The organization has been working for almost a year, but organizers say the timing is now coming together to get the effort off the ground.

Recalling a mayor in Houston requires 25% of the votes in the last general election. For Houston, that's about 63,000 signatures - all of which must be gathered and submitted within 30 days. That's more than 2,000 signatures per day- all of whom must be registered voters in the city of Houston.

The group began accepting donations this week to assist with the effort and launched a new website at the beginning of the year.

"Whitmire's administration is incompetent and dangerous for Houston. Throughout the past year, we've seen Whitmire damage our city and risk our future," the group's site reads.

A spokesperson for Whitmire told ABC13 that the efforts are not new and that many mayors have faced recall initiatives.

"Mayor Whitmire is busy running the City of Houston," Mary Benton, a senior advisor to Mayor Whitmire, said. "He's focused on listening to Houstonians and creating a more transparent and accountable municipal government while eliminating waste, duplication, and corruption. The people organizing the recall effort are invited to join the mayor in his work to make Houston a better city for everyone."