CA Gov. Recall Election Process

A FAQ on the California Election on whether to Recall Gov. Gavin Newsom.

When is the Recall Election? Sept. 14th, though Local Election Offices startes sending out Mail Ballots by Aug. 16th.

How do you Vote? Every Registered Voter gets a Ballot in the Mail. They can Track their Ballot: when it is Mailed, when it’s Received, and when it’s Counted. There will also be In-Person Polling Sites that Open Sept. 4th, plus Drop-Off Boxes, with the exact Number depending where you Live. The deadline was Aug. 30th, to Register and Receive a Mail Ballot for the Recall. There is Conditional Registration, all the way through Election Day, but you have to Request a Ballot In-Person.

What will be on the Ballot? The Ballot has Two Parts. The First requires a Yes or No Answer. It asks: “Shall GAVIN NEWSOM be recalled (removed) from the office of Governor?”. A Yes Vote Recalls Newsom and he is Out-of-Office. A No Vote is for Newsom to stay Governor. The Second Part allows you to Pick One Replacement Candidate from a List of 46 Candidates. It says: “Candidates to succeed GAVIN NEWSOM as Governor if he is recalled:” The List doesn’t include Newsom, so you can’t Vote for him. You can Write-In Name, but for your Vote to Count, it must be someone from the Certified List. Write-In Candidates had until Aug. 31st to File. The Secretary of State plans to Issue the List on Sept. 3rd. Newsom isn't on the List..

What happens after the Election? If more than 50% of voters say No, Newsom continues as Governor, but his Term Ends on Jan. 2nd, 2023. If more than 50% of voters say Yes, Newsom will be Removed from Office. Then whoever has the Most Votes among the Replacement Candidates will become Governor, in late October, for the Rest of Newsom’s Term. If the Replacement Candidate does Not get a majority 50%+1, it will Violate State Law and be Challenged in Court.

Do you have to Vote on Both Parts? No, you can Vote on just One or the Other. For example, you can Vote against Removing Newsom on the First Question, but also Vote or Skip choosing a Potential Replacement, which is what Newsom and Party Leaders are telling Democrats to do.

Isn’t there an Election for Governor in 2022? Yes, Voters will Pick Someone for a Full Four-year Term in November 2022. Newsom is already Running in the Primary.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker