Photo by Matt Dunn

This post has been updated

In the wake of Harry Thomas, Jr.’s resignation from the D.C. Council, paperwork was filed this morning seeking the recall of Mayor Vince Gray and D.C. Council Chair Kwame Brown.

Frederick Butler, a local political activist, filed the paperwork at the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics, putting in motion a process that could lead to a recall election of the city’s two highest elected officials. Butler started hinting last year that he would seek to recall Gray, Brown and Councilmembers Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) and Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), but today only sought to remove the former two from office.

From this point on, the proposed recall paperwork is sent to Gray and Brown, both of whom are given the chance to respond. (They have 10 days to do so.) If they respond, their statements will be printed alongside statements justifying the recall on nominating petitions that are circulated to voters. According to D.C. regulations, 10 percent of registered voters — including 10 percent of voters from five of the city’s eight wards — need to sign the petitions to get a recall on the ballot. Given current registration figures, that’s over 45,000 signatures — in 180 days, no less.

According to the election board, recall attempts aren’t new — a vote to recall an ANC commissioner is scheduled for late February, for one. But overcoming the significant barriers for recalling citywide officials has made most people shy away from the task. A recall of Mayor Adrian Fenty was filed in November 2009, but the signed petitions were never returned to the board.

During the debate over an ethics bill late last year, the signature requirements for citywide candidates were dropped from 10 to five percent, but reinstated to their current level in a final version that was passed by the D.C. Council. At a recent press conference, Brown did not offer a reason for the change back.

We’ve reached out to Gray and Brown for responses, and we’ll update as we get them.

UPDATE, 11:15 a.m. Gray has responded, according to WTOP’s Mark Segraves:

UPDATE, 12:35 p.m.: Gray has released an official statement in response to the recall:

My focus remains where it should, with the work the citizens of the District elected me to do. During my campaign for Mayor, I promised voters that I would focus on growing the economy, putting people back to work, fixing our schools, improving public safety, and getting the District back on a firm financial footing, and that’s exactly what I will continue doing. Just last month the Census confirmed that DC was now the most desirable place to live in the United States, I intend to keep it that way.

Additionally, we’ve confirmed that every mayor with the exception of Walter Washington has had a recall attempt filed against them.