It’s High Time to Take the Politics out of California’s Recall Process
Under California’s current process for recalling a state-level elected official, voters are asked two questions: first, a yes-or-no question as to whether the target of the recall should be recalled; and then, immediately below, which candidate they would choose in the event that a majority votes to recall.
Recent history has shown that the second question, which creates a situation where someone can be elected despite a very small share of support, creates a powerful set of incentives to instigate recall campaigns driven more by politics than ethics or justice as the framers of the process originally intended.
A proposition on the November 2026 general election ballot will, if passed, solve this problem by eliminating the second question and adding commonsense provisions for replacing a state-level elected official in the event of a successful recall.
These straightforward changes will help take politics out of the recall process, thereby restoring one of California’s most important direct democracy tools to its originally intended purpose of ensuring ethical and competent public service.
To do this, we need your help. Your donation will help us get the word out and fix California’s broken recall system.
Help stand up for fairness and good government. Donate today.