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Fall River City Council Sets March 12 For Recall Election of Mayor

January 3, 2019

Jasiel Correia II may become the second mayor of Fall River recalled during the last five years if voters toss him out later this winter.

The Fall River City Council has set March 12 as the date of a recall election, according to the Fall River Herald News.

Correia, 27, is under federal indictment for fraud charges stemming from a software business he founded before he became mayor. Federal prosecutors say he misled investors in the software business about his own past accomplishments and misspent investors’ money on personal items.

Correia can run in the recall election. Candidates need signatures from at least 300 registered voters.

In December 2014 then-mayor William Flanagan lost a recall election. In November 2016 the winner of that first recall election, Sam Sutter, lost his bid for a full term to the current mayor, Correia.

Correia is disputing the city council’s right to set a date for a recall election. He has filed an objection with the city’s Board of Elections.

Nevertheless, the city council voted 8-1 on Wednesday, January 2 to set the recall election.