California lawmakers are planning to propose changes to divisive recall process


Josh Newman, a Democratic state senator representing parts of Southern California, lived through what Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) hopes to survive: a recall election.
Newman was recalled in 2018 and replaced by a candidate he beat in 2016, who received fewer votes than he did in the recall. He ran again in 2020, and reclaimed the seat. Next year, Newman said, he intends to propose a constitutional amendment that would change California's recall process for governor.
The way recalls work now, Californians vote to either keep or remove the governor, and then select a replacement candidate. The governor must win a majority of the vote to stay in office, otherwise they are replaced by the candidate who receives the most votes. Newman wants to change the process so if the recall effort is successful, the governor is replaced by the lieutenant governor.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
California's recall law dates back to the early 1900s, when Republican Gov. Hiram Johnson wanted to curtail the influence the Southern Pacific railroad had in the state. The company, The New York Times writes, "all but owned the state's government and economy, controlling politicians, judges, and regulators."
To trigger a recall election of any elected official in California, opponents need to get enough signatures to equal 12 percent of the turnout in the last election for that office. Critics say it's easy for companies and special interest groups with millions of dollars at their disposal to pay people to collect those signatures from registered voters, and former California Gov. Gray Davis — a Democrat who was recalled in 2003 — told the Times he thinks the threshold should be increased from 12 percent to 25 percent.
Many Republicans have spoken in favor of the recall process, because they are in the minority in California and see it as one way they can have a voice. Kevin Kiley, a Republican state assemblyman and one of the candidates hoping to replace Newsom, told the Times he would "absolutely" oppose any changes to the recall process that would make it "harder or impossible to hold your public officials accountable."
This recall election is costing taxpayers $276 million, at a time when the state is dealing with massive wildfires, the coronavirus pandemic, and severe drought. Voter Frankie Santos told the Times after casting her ballot in Hollywood on Tuesday that the recall is "so dumb. It's so not a good use of resources."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
The 5 best movies based on TV shows
The Week Recommends From biblical parodies and space epics to an unappreciated auteur masterpiece, these movies breathed new life into preexisting TV series
-
The revived plan for Trump's border wall could cause problems for wildlife
The Explainer The proposed section of wall would be in a remote stretch of Arizona
-
Tesla's $29 billion Musk-centric gamble
IN THE SPOTLIGHT With sales slumping and its reputation battered, the EV automaker is betting big that its future depends on keeping mercurial CEO Elon Musk happy — and wealthy
-
India rejects Trump threat over Russian oil
Speed Read The president said he would raise tariffs on India for buying and selling Russian oil
-
NY's Hochul vows response to Texas gerrymander
Speed Read Gov. Kathy Hochul has promised to play ball with redistricting that favors the Democrats
-
Redistricting: How the GOP could win in 2026
Feature Trump pushes early redistricting in Texas to help Republicans keep control of the House in next year's elections
-
Texas Democrats exit state to block redistricting vote
Speed Read More than 51 legislators fled the state in protest of the GOP's plan to redraw congressional districts
-
Trump criticized for firing BLS chief after jobs report
Speed Read Bureau of Labor Statistics chief Erika McEntarfer oversaw a July jobs report that the president claims was rigged
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib Bukele
Speed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
Trump assigns tariffs, delays all except on Canada
Speed Read A 35% tariff on many Canadian goods has gone into effect