Gavin Newsom recall, Governor of California (2024)

Gov. Gavin Newsom recall
	Officeholders
	Gavin Newsom (D)
	Recall status
	Did not go to a vote
	Signature requirement
	1,311,963 signatures
See also
	Recall overview; Political recall efforts, 2024; Recalls in California; California recall laws; Gubernatorial recalls; Recall reports

An effort to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) was launched in February 2024. The California Secretary of State's office approved the recall for circulation on March 26, 2024. Supporters of the recall had 160 days—or no later than September 3, 2024^[1]—to collect 1,311,963 signatures to require a recall election.^[2] No signatures were submitted by the deadline.^[3]

Newsom was elected as California's governor in 2018 with 61.9% of the vote. In 2021, there was an attempt to recall Newsom, yet he retained his position with 61.9% of the vote. He was re-elected in 2022, garnering 59.2% of the vote.

Recall supporters

Rescue California campaign director Anne Dunsmore initiated the recall effort in February 2024. The group listed the following reasons for recall on its website:^[4]

“

Governor Newsom has abandoned the state to advance his Presidential ambitions, leaving behind a $68 Billion budget deficit and a public safety, immigration and education crisis. He:

Granted 700,000 illegal immigrants free health care at a cost to taxpayers of $3 billion annually, while cutting vital programs for veterans, school children, the disabled and the homeless.
Kept schools closed during Covid longer than other states allowing California students to fall further behind in basic skills such as language and mathematics.
Closed prisons and ordered the release of thousands of dangerous criminals onto our streets.
Weakened our public safety laws, creating an epidemic of smash and grab crimes and violent assaults.
Forced Californians to suffer under the highest taxes in the nation and the highest home prices outside Hawaii, while he undermines Prop. 13.
Spends billions on government homeless programs that have repeatedly failed.^[5]

”

Recall opponents

After the recall was announced, Nathan Click, a spokesperson for Newsom released the following statement: "We are taking it seriously. These Trump Republicans are targeting Gov. Newsom because he is out there defending democracy and fighting for the reelection of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. He’s not going to be distracted from that fight. Democracy’s on the ballot, and he’s going to keep fighting."^[6]

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing recall in California

The citizens of California have the authority to perform a recall election according to Article 2, Sections 13-19 of the California Constitution. This section of the constitution was added via Proposition 8 by voters in October 1911. The recall provisions apply to officials at the state and local levels, including judges of courts of appeal and trial courts.

To recall state officials, proponents must file a notice-of-intent-to-recall petition signed by 65 voters to begin the petition drive process. Proponents must gather signatures equal to a percentage of the total number of votes most recently cast for the targeted office - 12% for executive officials and 20% for state legislators and judges. Proponents must gather signatures from each of at least five counties equal in number to 1% of the last vote for the office in that county.

As of February 2021, the 12% signature threshold for gubernatorial recalls in California was the second-lowest in the country. In Virginia, the threshold was 10% of votes cast in the last election. In Montana, the threshold was 10% of eligible voters in the last election.

Election history

2022

General election

General election for Governor of California

Incumbent Gavin Newsom defeated Brian Dahle in the general election for Governor of California on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Gavin Newsom (D)	59.2	6,470,104
	Brian Dahle (R)	40.8	4,462,914

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,933,018
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Governor of California

The following candidates ran in the primary for Governor of California on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Gavin Newsom (D)	55.9	3,945,748
✔		Brian Dahle (R)	17.7	1,252,800
		Michael Shellenberger (Independent)	4.1	290,286
		Jenny Rae Le Roux (R)	3.5	246,665
		Anthony Trimino (R)	3.5	246,322
		Shawn Collins (R)	2.5	173,083
		Luis Rodriguez (G)	1.8	124,672
		Leo Zacky (R)	1.3	94,521
		Major Williams (R)	1.3	92,580
		Robert Newman (R)	1.2	82,849
		Joel Ventresca (D)	0.9	66,885
		David Lozano (R)	0.9	66,542
	Submit photo	Ronald Anderson (R)	0.8	53,554
		Reinette Senum (Independent)	0.8	53,015
		Armando Perez-Serrato (D)	0.6	45,474
		Ron Jones (R)	0.5	38,337
		Daniel Mercuri (R)	0.5	36,396
		Heather Collins (G)	0.4	29,690
		Anthony Fanara (D)	0.4	25,086
		Cristian Morales (R)	0.3	22,304
		Lonnie Sortor (R)	0.3	21,044
		Frederic Schultz (Independent)	0.2	17,502
		Woodrow Sanders III (Independent)	0.2	16,204
		James Hanink (Independent)	0.1	10,110
		Serge Fiankan (Independent)	0.1	6,201
		Bradley Zink (Independent)	0.1	5,997
	Submit photo	Jeff Scott (American Independent Party of California) (Write-in)	0.0	13
	Submit photo	Gurinder Bhangoo (R) (Write-in)	0.0	8

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 7,063,888
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

2021

See also: Gavin Newsom recall, Governor of California (2019-2021)

Gavin Newsom yes/no recall question

Gavin Newsom recall, 2021

Gavin Newsom won the Governor of California recall election on September 14, 2021.

	Recall Vote	%	Votes
	Yes	38.1	4,894,473
✔	No	61.9	7,944,092
	Total Votes		12,838,565

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It has been certified. Source

Gavin Newsom replacement question