Staff Report
Town Councilor-at-Large Max Tassinari is facing a recall effort.
Tassinari won the at-large seat in 2023 and his term runs through Jan. 1, 2028.
Currently, petitioners looking to recall Tassinari have collected enough signatures to activate a petition to have a recall on the fall ballot. According to Town Clerk Denise Quist, the petitioners needed 573 signatures to activate the petition to go on the ballot, and they have collected over 700.
For an outright recall of the councilor, the petitioners need to collect 2,863 signatures. If that threshold is reached, there would be an opportunity for Tassinari to resign his seat before being removed from office. However, Tassinari could still seek a slot on the election ballot to run for the at-large seat and return to office.
Diana Viens, who also helped lead the Winthrop Says No to 3A group, stated that the recall success thus far “is a resounding rebuke of conduct that has shocked many: Alleged repeated attempts to undermine public trust, disrespect long-standing members of our community, and allegedly stack the Town Council with political allies aligned with Mr. Tassinari’s acknowledged special interest in 3A.”
Viens continued that the effort isn’t about politics—It’s about principle.
“Every elected official has a duty to serve the public without bias or personal agenda,” she stated. “When that trust is violated, it is our responsibility to act.”