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Eliminate Successor Election at a State Officer Recall Election Amendment

LRCA State executive structure;Recall

Campaign finance

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Eliminate Successor Election at a State Officer Recall Election Amendment

Type: Legislatively-referred constitutional amendment
Subject: State executive structure;Recall
Election: June 2, 2026 statewide primary

Overview

Eliminate the successor election when a state officer is recalled, thereby leaving the office vacant until it is filled according to state law

Support

Ballotpedia has not located a campaign in support of the ballot measure. You can share campaign information or arguments, along with source links for this information, with us at editor@ballotpedia.org .

Supporters

Officials State Sen. Josh Newman (D) State Asm. Isaac Bryan (D) Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis (D) Secretary of State Shirley Weber (D) Organizations California Common Cause League of Women Voters of California

Arguments

League of Women Voters of California and California Common Cause: “Under current law, an off cycle special election may be held for a recall, in which voters are presented with two questions - whether an officer should be recalled and who should replace the officeholder. While the first question requires a majority vote to remove the elected official, the second question allows a replacement candidate to be chosen by a slim plurality. Our state’s most important leaders can therefore be picked at low turnout elections with non-representative electorates, and replacements can be put into office with low plurality support, rather than a majority of voters in the election. Furthermore, voters have expressed deep confusion as to whether they are permitted to vote for a replacement candidate if they vote ‘no’ on the first question. The perplexing system can cause people to refrain from answering the second question, thereby disenfranchising voters, and contributing to an undervote for replacement candidates…SCA 1…would retain access to the recall, but in a way that should ensure recall outcomes are democratic and broadly supported and will help to eliminate recalls that are frivolous or degrade democratic legitimacy.” State Sen. Josh Newman (D-29) and Asm. Isaac Bryan (D-55): “The system in its current form offers bad actors an incentive to target an elected official with whom they disagree and to have the official replaced by someone who otherwise would not enjoy the support of a majority of voters. SCA 1 will ensure that statewide and legislative recalls in California are democratic, fair, and not subject to political gamesmanship.”

Opposition

Ballotpedia has not located a campaign in opposition to the ballot measure. You can share campaign information or arguments, along with source links for this information, with us at editor@ballotpedia.org .

Opponents

Organizations Election Integrity Project California, Inc.

Campaign Finance

See also: Campaign finance requirements for California ballot measures The campaign finance information on this page reflects the most recent scheduled reports that Ballotpedia has processed , which covered through December 31, 2025 . The deadline for the next scheduled reports was April 30, 2026. Ballotpedia has not identified any committees registered in support of or opposition to the amendment. [5] Cash Contributions In-Kind Contributions Total Contributions Cash Expenditures Total Expenditures Support $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Oppose $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Total $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Path To The Ballot

See also: Amending the California Constitution A two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during one legislative session for the California State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 54 votes in the California State Assembly and 27 votes in the California State Senate , assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor’s signature to be referred to the ballot.

Sources