By admin 
A measure aimed at overhauling how California conducts recall elections has passed with about 52% support, according to the Associated Press.
Read more Vigil remembers Sacramento man slain in Lavender Heights attack last year
Proposition 5 will separate two votes that are currently combined: the decision whether to recall an official and the selection of their successor.
The measure’s sponsor, former state Sen. Josh Newman, argued the existing rules could allow a low-performing successor candidate to enter office without winning a majority of ballots cast. They cite cases such as the unsuccessful 2021 recall election against Gov. Gavin Newsom, when Republican Larry Elder was the top vote-getter in the race to replace Newsom but won less than a third of the overall ballots cast.
Prop. 5 came out of legislative discussions in the wake of the 2021 recall election. It didn’t include some ideas for reform, like raising the threshold for signatures needed to initiate a recall.
Critics included top Republicans in the Legislature. They argued the existing system worked well, and Newman — who himself faced a successful 2018 recall election before winning back his old seat — was attempting to undermine voters’ ability to check Democrats’ power.
Read more Sac City Unified rejects all of state’s budget review candidates, asks for more names
Under the new rules, if a governor is recalled, the lieutenant governor would take over until the next scheduled election: either the primary election held midway through their term, or, if the recall vote occurs after that point, during the regularly scheduled gubernatorial election at the end of a term.
If no one won a majority of the vote in the primary, the top two candidates would face off in a November runoff.
Other officeholders who are recalled, like lawmakers or other statewide officeholders, would be replaced using existing rules for addressing vacancies — either by appointment or through a special election.
Read more As it seeks exemption for ZE rules, Sacramento RT wins $57.7M for electric buses
This story was originally published November 12, 2026 at 6:43 PM.