[Dariens B Gd] Darien's Ballot Guide - Exceptional Issue: The Recall Election

[Darien De Lu]

Dear Friends of Darien's Ballot Guide,
	I believe nearly all of you know that my Guide does not talk about specific candidates.  Usually, I address only the state-wide ballot propositions.  However, I do seek to offer reliable lay information about the elections, and there is clearly a need for clear info in this recall election.  So I offer this email.

Recall Elections History, Briefly!
	According to Ballotpedia (https://ballotpedia.org/States_with_gubernatorial_recall_provisions <https://ballotpedia.org/States_with_gubernatorial_recall_provisions>), only three sitting governors have faced recall elections since 1921, and two of those were in California!  Moreover, in California, although we’ve had 179 recall attempts — of any state elected officials — since 1913, only eleven of them got enough signatures to qualify (per https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/recalls/recall-history-california-1913-present <https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/recalls/recall-history-california-1913-present> — please note that the SOS there is not intended to refer to the state of California politics, but, rather Secretary of State).  With the unlimited involvement of Big Money in elections, we’ve seen two gubernatorial recall efforts getting on to the California ballot since 2000.  (And Governor Grey Davis was recalled in 2003.)

Recalls in California
	California has a particularly undemocratic recall procedure, as many of you may have heard.  If a simple majority vote (50% + 1) votes to recall the official, that’s it for that official  They are not allowed to be a candidate in the second part of the recall ballot.  That’s where the undemocratic part comes in.  If the recall gets a majority, then the choice of a plurality of the voters, on that second part of the ballot, will choose the person to replace the governor.  It’s pretty easy to get onto that second part of the ballot.  In this recall we have nearly 50 candidates. 
	With so many candidates, it can be very easy to get a plurality.  Of course, some of the candidates in the second part of the ballot are much better publicized and/or known, so it’s likely that the winner (if the majority vote for the recall) would need some 20% of the vote.
	Become governor of California with 20% support from the voters?  I can only wonder why the Democrats, who’ve had legislative control for a while, did not legislate for a more reasonable system after 2003.  
	Because of the two-part process, in every recall, the first part — the vote for or against the recall — becomes especially important.  If the recall is defeated, the votes for candidates won’t matter.  If the recall gets a majority vote, the one candidate with a plurality will become governor.

Voting in This Gubernatorial Election
	As in every election, I urge you to vote.  Preferably, vote before the deadline of September 14!  That’s especially easy in this election, since all voting is by mail (or, for greater security, you can drop your ballot off at the multiple ballot drop box locations).  Also, you can vote in person and, if you’re not currently registered to vote, there are options for same-day registration.  See details at  https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/2021-ca-gov-recall <https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/2021-ca-gov-recall>.
	If you wish to see the governor replaced now — then it will be important for you to vote yes on the recall and for one of the candidates.  There are several strong campaigns for certain Republican candidates and at least one Libertarian, so it’s likely one of those will be governor is the recall succeeds.  If you’re yes on the recall, then you probably want to pick a candidate’s campaign to support.
	If you do not wish to see the governor replaced before the end of his term (in somewhat over a year) — then it will be important for you to vote no on the recall.  If you’re voting no, it becomes far less important which candidate you choose from the nearly 50.  I an not aware of any significant campaigns for a Democratic or “progressive” candidate, so it’s extremely unlikely any candidate to the “left” of Newsom will get a plurality of votes.  So if you’re no on the recall, then you probably want to campaign for more no votes, rather than focus on a candidate.  
	However, I don’t mean to discourage anyone from supporting any candidate they choose!  I’m just trying to describe what votes will be most significant, given the likely way this election will work.

Further Information
	I hope this explanation is helpful to you.  We won’t likely have any state-wide ballot measures before the 2022 primaries — at the earliest!  (So you won’t hear from me again until sometime in 2022 — if we have state-wide ballot measures  )
	If you want further info on this recall election, you can go to the SOS site, specifically https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/2021-ca-gov-recall <https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/2021-ca-gov-recall>.
	The informative web page for users of this, my, mailing list is http://lists.sonic.net/mailman/listinfo/dariens_ballot_guide <http://lists.sonic.net/mailman/listinfo/dariens_ballot_guide>.  I welcome new folks to subscribe to my Guide to the California Ballot Propositions, especially now that the process is streamlined through the Mailman system. So please feel free to give interested folks that link, which is where on can subscribe.  (You can also unsubscribe there, if you wish).
	Finally, I encourage all readers to be kind to one another, especially with those who differ with you politically.  All of us are facing very difficult times, and many are facing very traumatic circumstances.  We can ease the harshness of these days by listening and being compassionate.  I realize, not everyone is interested in communication and discussion, but many are.  (I hope you’ll focus your energy on those who choose to be more open.)
								Regards, Darien
“...pluralism requires compromise as does coalition building. That desire is easily lost for very legitimate reasons, and when that happens, conditions worsen. If we can’t compromise in politics, the alternative is force, and that is the authoritarians creed."
 Scot Nakagawa, anti-authoritarian activist
                          * Darien De Lu  (she, her) *  *  conjoin at sonic.net <mailto:conjoin at sonic.net>   *
                 * 916/739-0860, landline  — texts don’t work! * 

Learn about Women's International League for Peace and Freedom: https://wilpfus.org/ <https://wilpfus.org/>.

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