California voters overhaul recall elections, pass Democratic-backed Prop. 5

California will change its election recall process after voters approved Proposition 5, a ballot measure backed by Democrats who argued the process was too open to partisan exploitation. 

The recall process will now take place in two parts: Voters will first decide in an election whether an official should be removed from office. If successful, they’ll vote again in a follow-up election on who should replace the recalled official. Under the previous system, voters were asked both questions at the same time. 

About 52% of voters approved the measure and 48% were against it with about 91% of the vote counted Thursday, 9 days after Election Day.

Democratic lawmakers placed the constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2024, arguing the current system leads to unnecessary state expense, confuses voters, and can lead to ‘undemocratic’ outcomes, since the winner does not need a majority to win. 

Republicans used the recall process in recent years to challenge Democratic politicians. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who survived his own attempted recall in 2021, endorsed the ballot measure to change the rules. 

Voters in Democratic enclaves such as San Francisco, Alameda and Los Angeles counties passed the measure by a wide margin. More rural, Northern California counties like El Dorado and Shasta favored keeping the current system. 

The origins of Prop. 5

Democratic lawmakers and Secretary of State Shirley Weber began advocating for changes in the aftermath of the failed recall of Newsom in 2021. The recall effort cost taxpayers about $200 million and the campaigns on both sides spent another $100 million. Newsom walked away unscathed, with 62% of voters electing to keep him in office. 

The measure got on the ballot after lawmakers passed Senate Constitutional Amendment 1 in 2024. Democratic Sen. Josh Newman, who was recalled himself in 2018, carried the proposal in the Legislature.

Republican lawmakers voted against it, arguing the reform was not needed, would dilute the power of voters and lead to additional special election costs because of the need to hold two elections. 

Unlike some of the tax measures on the ballot that spurred multimillion-dollar spending sprees, no group spent any money on the effort. 

Although recalls are often initiated, they rarely make it to voters. Only 11 recalls have made it to the ballot in California since 1913, and only six have been approved by voters. The current recall process is how Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger came into power, replacing Gray Davis in 2003.