Gavin Newsome, governor of California, survived a recall election last week. Newsome won the election in a landslide 63% to 37% with over 11.5 million ballots cast. The result was one of the most lopsided recall elections in a century.
Though Newsome had won by a large margin in 2018, the Republican Party sensed growing popular frustration over Newsome’s heavy-handed use of mask mandates, curfews, and restrictions on public gatherings during the COVID pandemic. This, along with poor wildfires response, extended drought, and the rising cost of living, led to perceived vulnerability for the governor. Nearly 1.5 million signatures were collected to invoke the recall. In the end, however, it turned out to be for naught. (In general, a little more than half of high-profile recall elections are successful.)
While a recall election is not a referendum, it does reflect an increased level of direct public involvement in political decision-making. In 2003, Californians recalled then-governor, Grey Davis, for his perceived lack of leadership. With Newsome, however, the election was so lopsided against recall that it reflected immaturity in the recall process. Many feel there was not real issue at stake. Others noted that the Republican party never found a serious candidate for his replacement. (Had Newsome lost the decision, the largest vote-getter would have replaced him—in this case, Larry Elder, a conservative talk-show host.) Both the lack of purpose and poor execution demonstrated limited understanding about how recalls need to be conducted and the amount of learning needed to make such forms of direct public involvement viable.
Newsome’s election win ensures he can serve out the remainder of his term, which runs into 2023. The election’s losers, however, are really the California taxpayers, who funded the horseplay to the tune of $276 million. If direct public elections are to be taken seriously, it is best to create a system where votes are held on substantives issues and not for political jousting.
Source:
Annika Kim Constantino, “Democrat Gavin Newsome Easily Survives California Recall, Will Remain Governor,” CNBC, 14 Sep 2021
Aaron Blake, “GOP Suffers Historic Embarrassment in California Recall,” Washington Post, 15 September 2021, accessed from https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/09/14/gop-could-be-left-red-faced-after-california-recall/
Matthew Nuttle, “California’s Recall Election Will Cost $276 Million, Recall Date Set for Sept 14,” ABC10, accessed from https://www.abc10.com/article/news/politics/california-recall-elections-will-cost-276-million/103-60b467b4-ac53-4684-a9ea-5454cf8d1b3e
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