California's gubernatorial recall system could be in for major changes

 

 

• Gov. Gavin Newsom will stay in office after an attempt to replace him using California’s recall system failed. Though state Democrats have celebrated the result, it has also left many wondering if the state's recall system ought to be reformed. [AP / Don Thompson and Kathleen Ronayne]

• The recall’s critics have two main complaints: First, many are asking whether spending the $276 million the election cost was a good use of taxpayer money at a time when California is struggling with massive wildfires, widespread drought, and the ongoing pandemic. [NYT / Thomas Fuller, Maggie Astor, and Conor Dougherty]

• And second, California recall rules state that a majority of voters are needed to recall a governor, but that if the public does fire the executive, they must choose someone else to lead the state — and that gubernatorial candidates need not win a majority of votes to be the next governor. [CalMatters / Laurel Rosenhall]

• In practice, this means if Newsom had been recalled (which would have required at least 51 percent of California voters to want him gone), his main challenger, conservative talk radio host Larry Elder, would have become California’s first Black governor, despite his receiving only 45 percent of the vote. [Decision Desk HQ]

• Democrats worry that this situation will encourage further conservative-led recall efforts. Winning a statewide election in California has become increasingly hard for the GOP, but it is conceivable that, following a successful recall, a Republican candidate could (even with a fairly small base of support) win the election that follows the recall. [Vox / Andrew Prokop]

• This fear has state Democrats considering putting a constitutional amendment before voters in 2022 that would alter the recall system — either allowing a governor in danger of a recall to run in the election to replace them, making recalls more difficult to trigger, or mandating that gubernatorial candidates win a majority of votes in order to be declared the winner of a recall election. [Fred Lucas / Fox News]