A recall petition targeting McKinney's mayor and three city council members is being circulated, and the window to collect signatures closes Sept. 26.
Five registered McKinney voters executed a notarized affidavit of intent on Aug. 11 and filed it with the City Secretary on Aug. 12, according to the McKinney Recall Committee, the group organizing the effort. The City Secretary issued official numbered petition papers on Aug. 13, starting a 45-day collection period.
The petition names Mayor Bill Cox, At Large 1 Council Member Ernest Lynch, District 3 Council Member Geré Feltus and District 1 Council Member Justin Beller. The affidavit states a loss of confidence in their representation of McKinney citizens.
What it takes to qualify
The organizers say the City Secretary set the requirement in writing at 5,805 valid signatures from registered McKinney voters. They cite the city's home rule charter, which they say requires signatures equal to at least 30% of the votes cast at the last regular municipal election, with a minimum of 1,000.
The committee says it is aiming for 7,500 to leave a margin for invalid signatures.
Those figures come from the campaign; we have not independently confirmed the threshold with the City Secretary's office.
The charter rules on collection are strict. Signatures must be written in ink on numbered pages issued by the City Secretary, signed in person by registered voters who live inside the city limits, in the presence of a circulator who then swears an affidavit.
If the completed petition is submitted and verified, and a named officer does not resign within the period the charter allows, the City Council orders a recall election.
Why organizers say they filed
John Aselton, the petitioners' committee notice designee, has said the campaign is about a broader record rather than a single vote.
"This recall campaign is about restoring accountability and public trust in McKinney's city government," Aselton said. "Residents have repeatedly raised concerns about spending, transparency, growth, infrastructure, and whether City Hall is listening to the people it serves."
"Ultimately, this is not about one person or one issue," he added. "It is about giving McKinney voters the lawful opportunity to decide whether their elected officials still have their confidence."
One long-running dispute organizers point to involves McKinney National Airport. In May 2023, 58.69% of voters rejected a $200 million bond for a larger commercial terminal. Officials later advanced a smaller, 46,000-square-foot terminal using alternative funding.
