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CC - Consideration of Adoption of a Position Opposing the Recall Election of the Governor of California.
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Meeting Date: August 23, 2021
Contact Person/Dept: Shelly Wolfberg/City Manager’s Office
Phone Number: (310) 253-6000
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [ ] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [ ] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (08/18/2021)
Department Approval: John M. Nachbar, City Manager (08/16/2021)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council consider adopting a position opposing the recall election of the Governor of California.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
At the August 9, 2021 City Council Meeting, the City Council directed staff to place an item on the agenda to consider opposing the recall election of the Governor of California and remarked about the high cost of a recall election.
The California Secretary of State provides the following information on its website:
Elections in California
For the September 14, 2021, California Gubernatorial Recall Election, there will be a recall question presented on the ballot: “Shall GAVIN NEWSOM be recalled (removed) from the office of Governor?” Following that recall question, all qualified replacement candidates for the office of governor will be listed. Write-in replacement candidates for the office of governor can also run in the California Gubernatorial Recall Election.
If a majority of the votes on the recall question are “Yes,” Governor Newsom shall be removed from office and the replacement candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected for the remainder of the governor’s term of office. If one-half or more of the votes on the recall question are “No,” Governor Newsom shall remain in office. This guide includes the “Statement of Reasons” submitted by the proponents of the recall and Governor Newsom’s answer to that statement.
Recall History in California
The recall process is outlined in the California Constitution (Article II, Sections 13-19) and the California Elections Code (Sections 11000-11110, 11300-11386). The recall has been part of California’s political system since 1911. It provides a mechanism for the public to attempt to remove elected public officials from office before the end of their term of office. Before a recall election can be initiated, a certain number of voters must sign a recall petition within a specified amount of time.
Since 1913, there have been 179 recall attempts of state elected officials in California. Eleven recall efforts collected enough signatures to qualify for the ballot and of those, the elected official was recalled in six instances. There have been 55 attempts to recall a California governor, and of those attempts, there was one successful Governor recall campaign in 2003.
Estimated Costs to Administer the California Gubernatorial Recall Election
Pursuant to Elections Code section 11108(d), the Department of Finance, in consultation with the Secretary of State and county elections officials, has estimated the costs to administer the recall election of Governor Gavin Newsom to be $276 million. The California Department of Finance details recall election costs in the following correspondence to the State Legislature: Gubernatorial Recall Election Costs (Attachment 1) and Preliminary County Estimate of Recall Election Costs (Attachment 2).
Per the City Council’s direction, staff recommends the City Council consider whether to adopt a position opposing the Recall Election of the Governor of California.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Discussion and direction regarding this matter does not create a fiscal impact to the City.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2021-08-23 Gubernatorial Recall Elections Cost dept-finance-letter dated 2021-07-01
2. 2021-08-23 Preliminary County Estimate of Recall Election Costs dept-finance-letter dated 2021-07-01
MOTION
That the City Council:
Consider a position opposing the recall of the California Governor.