Overview
- District 1 voters removed Councilman John Perkins by about 68% in the Sept. 1 special election, according to unofficial Jackson County results.
- The recall was driven mainly by voters' anger over Perkins's March vote to approve a 400-acre Nebius hyperscale AI data center and an estimated 90% tax abatement for the project.
- Organizers used a 190-page petition, door-to-door canvassing and a large online opposition network to put the recall on the ballot, reflecting months of local protest and a failed referendum effort over the incentives.
- The special election cost taxpayers an estimated $164,400 and the city manager has recommended a Feb. 2 primary and April 6 general to fill the vacant seat, pending certification by the Jackson County Election Board and city clerks.
- The result removes local representation for the district until the replacement is elected, bars Perkins from city employment for two years and signals political risk for officials who back large tax breaks for data centers as opposition grows nationwide.