'Recall' in California: Understanding the System That Allows the Governor to Recall Before Term End

a California It just held a vote — and votes are still being counted — to decide the departure or stay of its Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.

Everything indicates that he will remain in the position, as With 62% of the votes counted, two-thirds of the electorate voted for Newsom (see video below).

California decides to keep Governor Gavin Newsom in office

Seeing this vote, many Brazilians may have asked themselves: Newsom was isolated? Have you been accused of corruption or something? What happened so that voters could vote to boycott their term in the middle?

But nothing like that. Quite simply, part of the population was dissatisfied and decided to join a petition calling for a vote to decide whether he should remain in the government. This action is called “call”.

California law allows, If it is the desire of approximately 15% of the electorate, politicians can be removed from power before the end of the term.. Some other countries allow this as well.

But the downfall of a ruler is rare: it has happened only 4 times in American history.

Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected Governor of California in 2003. Residents boycotted the term of Democratic Governor Gray Davis and voted for the representative to take over.

The good thing for the population is that it ends up becoming a way to pressure politicians to deliver on their election promises.

This time, unlike in 2003, expectations are that the majority of voters decided that Newsom’s Democratic Party would remain. The result must be certified next month.