California is on the verge of losing a golden opportunity to finally fix its problematic recall rules.
After the state’s first gubernatorial recall election — the 2003 ouster of Gov. Gray Davis — legal scholars and lawmakers called for significant changes to the procedure to remove governors and other state officials. Noting there had been 25 lawsuits over the election and a circus-like campaign with 135 candidates seeking to replace Davis, they proposed ways to curb some of the chaos and confusion. Among them: Raise the number of signatures needed to qualify a recall for the ballot; limit when recalls can take place so officials can’t be ousted right after an election or within six months of the end of their term; assign the lieutenant governor to take over if voters kick the governor out of office.
But the energy generated in Capitol hearing rooms and at university symposiums fizzled out, public attention moved on, and California’s wacky recall rules remained in place.
