[8] In 1931, a charter amendment giving Seattle City Light superintendent James Ross authority over engineering projects was on the ballot.

[11] Private corporations were against the charter amendment, including power production company Stone & Webster and the Seattle Daily Times.

[12][13] On March 9, 1931, the day before the election, Edwards fired Ross on a dare citing "inefficiency, disloyalty and willful neglect of duty.

"[1] Edwards planned for the news to come out the following day, while people were voting, but The Seattle Star published a special late evening edition carrying a story by Ross and urging voters to pass the charter amendment.

[14] The charter amendment would pass, and the voters began a petition, led by the Municipal Utilities Protection League and future congressmen Marion Anthony Zioncheck, to recall Edwards, gathering 200,000 signatures.