California Governor Gavin Newsom will face a recall election on September 14, 2021.
That date was announced on Thursday by the state’s Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis. Kounalakis said in a statement that Sept. 14 was be a “fair and reasonable date.”
“It has always been my intention to choose an election date that gives election officials and the public ample time to ensure a smooth election with broad participation,” she said. “Conducting this election on September 14 fulfills my statutory requirements, and provides the time needed for officials to prepare and inform voters.”
You can see Kounalakis’s order here.
State law had mandated that a Legislative committee take 30 days to consider the recall cost, a strategy that Democrats enacted four years ago to delay the recall of State Sen. Josh Newman.
But just this week, Democrats rolled back that provision with a bill allowing Legislative leaders to bypass the review if they have already allocated funds for counties, which they did in the recent budget. Some say a quicker lection will benefit the embattled governor, who has used a budget surplus to generate positive headlines in the state.
Voters will see two questions on their ballot in September. The first will ask whether Newsom should be removed. Voters will mark “yes” or “no.”
The second question will ask voters to choose a replacement for Newsom. That field includes former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, former gubernatorial candidate John Cox, former GOP Rep. Doug Ose, and reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner.