SEA Presidential Recall: Members Request Review of Board Decision

On October 13, 2026, the Seattle Education Association (SEA) Board of Directors announced that the presidential recall petition submitted on August 24 had not met the required signature threshold and declared the recall process closed.

SEA reported the following results:

732 signatures submitted
581 verified signatures required
467 signatures accepted
265 signatures classified as unverifiable
More than 36% of the submitted signatures were classified as unverifiable.

We acknowledge the Board's announcement. However, we remain concerned about the transparency of the verification process and the decision to close the recall without providing members sufficient information to independently evaluate the results.

How can members determine whether the verification was conducted correctly?  

We have not received a detailed accounting of why 265 signatures were excluded, what specific criteria were applied, or whether affected members have an opportunity to correct verification problems.

An earlier SEA update reported 469 verified signatures. The final announcement reported 467. This discrepancy also requires clarification.

SEA's bylaws provide a mechanism for members to initiate a presidential recall through a petition signed by 10% of bona fide active members. We are seeking clarification about what procedures permit the Board to declare the process final, whether members have a right to challenge the determination, and whether an independent review is available.

We are requesting reconsideration of the Board's October 13 decision.

We are also seeking information about available internal appeal procedures and intend to contact the Washington Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) to determine whether the Commission has jurisdiction over any concerns arising from this process.

We have not concluded that the verification results were deliberately altered. Our concern is that members have not been provided sufficient documentation to determine whether the process was fair, accurate, and consistent with SEA's governing rules.

Members Continue to Sign
The online recall petition remains active, and members continue to add their signatures.

We understand that the October 13 determination concerns the 732 signatures formally submitted on August 24. Subsequent online signatures do not automatically change that determination.

However, members have expressed interest in submitting a new recall petition. We are requesting written clarification from SEA regarding the procedures for doing so, including whether prior signatures may be resubmitted, what eligibility requirements apply, and whether any waiting period exists.

Closing one petition submission does not, by itself, establish that members have lost their right to initiate another recall.

The hundreds of members who participated in this process deserve a clear explanation of how their signatures were evaluated and what options remain available to them.

We will continue to seek documentation, procedural clarification, and an opportunity for meaningful review.

Our position remains straightforward:

Members have a right to understand the process. Members have a right to ask questions. Members have a right to participate in the governance of their union.

We will share further updates as information becomes available.