Recall post mortem

Since I was active in the recall the mayor movement, I probably should say something about its failure.

• All opinion polls suggested "a done deal" -- that is, far more than the required 32,000 voters wanted Adams gone. So getting it on the ballot should have been easy.
• However, as a signature gatherer, I frequently was told by signers that they didn't have a clue where to go to sign a petition.
• Most info was online because our honcho is a computer geek kind of guy. Most supporters were seniors with little computer savvy or access. This became a problem.
• As an observer, I thought a number of strategic mistakes were made in the interest of short-term publicity and self-gratification, not the long term success of the movement. In other words, I think the movement was mismanaged.
• Despite its failure, the movement gave me considerable personal satisfaction. I've never done anything where so many thanked me for my efforts.
• In retrospect, I think the failure of the movement was a failure to recognize and respond to the generational parameters that had divided the city. I think the vast majority of those wanting to remove the mayor are over 50. This demographic was not important in the recall strategy.
• I hope Willamette Week or another investigative paper does its own post mortem and tells us in more detail why the movement failed when all polls said it should succeed. I hope they also dig into what I consider to be "personal issues" that got in the way of good decisions about strategy.

It was a great experience. I'm glad I did it.

Despite "rumors," I don't think they'll be another recall movement. I also don't think Adams will be reelected.