COLUMBUS, Ohio (Reuters) - Ohio Democratic legislators are proposing a bill that would allow voters to recall Governor John Kasich, who has signed a controversial bill limiting collective bargaining for public workers.
State Representative John Hagen said voters in 17 states, including Wisconsin, where a similar bill was passed, can recall their governors or state legislators.
Hagen's bill would allow Ohio voters to undertake a recall effort if they gather petition signatures of voters equal to 15 percent of the total votes for governor or in a particular legislative district in the last election.
Republicans have majorities in both houses of the Ohio state legislature.
Kasich has been under fire not just for the collective bargaining bill, but for cutting aid to schools, universities and local governments in his proposed two-year budget.
A March Quinnipiac University poll found Ohio voters disapprove by 46 to 30 percent the way the first-term Republican is doing his job.
Kasich said he sees the Democrat-led bill as nothing more than politics.
"My whole purpose is to fix this state," said Kasich, noting he is trying to close an $8 billion deficit. "When you take a look at what we did over the period of the last 90 days, it's pretty remarkable."
Recall efforts are underway in Wisconsin against 16 state senators, 8 from each party. First-term Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who signed the controversial union legislation, cannot yet face recall because state rules require that he be in office for at least a year.
(Editing by Mary Wisniewski and Jerry Norton)
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