A group seeking to remove McKinney Mayor Bill Cox and three city council members says it has gathered more than 6,500 signatures on a petition aimed at triggering a special election. The organizers plan to submit the documents to the city for verification by Saturday, when they must reach a threshold of 5,805 valid signatures from registered voters.
The effort targets Mayor Cox alongside council members Justin Beller, Geré Feltus, and Ernest Lynch. While Cox, Feltus, and Lynch did not immediately respond to requests for comment, Beller stated he is prepared to defend his voting record and adherence to his oath if the petition succeeds in forcing an election.
John Aselton, who helps lead the recall campaign, described the initiative as a response to a decade-long pattern of dissatisfaction rather than a reaction to a single event. He emphasized that local governance has been overlooked for too long by residents who feel their input is ignored.
The petition drive gained momentum following a contentious city council meeting in early August regarding a site plan for the McKinney Islamic Association’s expanded campus. The gathering drew hundreds of attendees, resulting in a raucous atmosphere with shouting and shoving before the council unanimously approved the procedural application review.
Former McKinney Mayor George Fuller suggested that some supporters are exploiting Islamophobia for political relevance, pointing to backing from U.S. Representative Keith Self and local activists. However, recall advocates argue the core issues revolve around rapid population growth and development fatigue in Collin County, which is the second-fastest growing in the state.
