High turnout forecast for Newsom's impeachment election
Secretary of State Shirley Nash Weber is doing everything in her power to get a large turnout at the polls during Governor Gavin Newsom’s special impeachment election, similar to the election November.
“ I’m pushing hard so that we have a minimum of 80% of participation because it is a very important choice about who is going to be the governor “, he said during the videoconference” Elections 101 – Voter Education on Impeachment ”, offered by Ethnic Media Services
“ I want all Californians to register to vote, participate in this special election of the 14 of September”.
The fundamental question is whether or not you want to dep oner to the governor. “If you do not want to remove the governor, do not worry about the other candidates,” he stressed.
He emphasized that the election is in two weeks, the 14 of September, and they have already received more than 3 million absentee ballots.
In the impeachment election of 2003, a 70% of participation.
And also to make sure everyone votes, they have mailed a ballot to all registered voters. “The way in which people can vote has increased, either by depositing the ballot in a mailbox or on election day they can go to vote at the polls.”
He said that people have realized that there is a choice on 14 September, when they have opened their mailboxes and found the ballot.
It is very important to get out and vote in the special recall election. (Getty Images)
The secretary of state attributed the record number of ballots that have already been sent to the fact that this ballot is not full of propositions as in other elections.
“It’s a simple ballot with just two questions: the first question clearly is, do you want Governor Gavin Newsom removed from office. The answer is yes or no. If you have a preference you should go to question 2 “.
The 30 August was the last day to register online to vote on the website of the Secretary of State.
“However, it is not the last day that they can do it, since they can register to vote on the same day of the election on 14 and vote a provisional ballot because we have to verify that you are indeed an eligible individual, and once the ballot is validated, your vote will count. ”
He recalled that the governor cannot be a candidate to choose. But in addition to the 46 candidates to replace Newsom, they may choose to write the name of other candidates who do not appear on the list on the ballot.
“Before September 3, we will know exactly who the valid candidates are and they will be available to write them on the ballot.”
For an early vote, recommended contacting the county Registrar of Voters.
“In Los Angeles County they have already started voting in the polls they have opened. ”
For the vote by mail to be valid, the secretary of state said that the ballot must be postmarked by 14 February.
Secretary Weber encouraged everyone who has been sent a ballot to be sure to vote whether or not they want to remove the governor and turn it in.
The origin of the dismissal through of the vote comes from the beginning of the last century. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK / AFP via Getty Images)
History of dismissal
Dr. Raphael Sonenshein, director of the Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs at Cal State Los Angeles, said the origin of the dismissal comes from a movement of more than 100 years, which pointed out that politicians cannot be responsible to other politicians, but directly to the people.
“A lot of this came from the opposition to the power of the Southern Pacific Railroad, whose representatives used to wander the halls of Sacramento, telling legislators what to do. and state officials. ”
But there was also the feeling that the regular US election system was not enough to let people have a direct democracy.
“At the end of 1536 and at the beginning of 1900, the dismissal was not included. There was the initiative that allowed people to pass a law; and the referendum to eliminate a law. ”
But in the city of Los Angeles, in 1903, a local progressive movement driven by John Randolph, a wealthy philanthropist, philanthropist and socialist doctor, proposed dismissal.
The impeachment process aroused fear in elected officials. “In 1900, Los Angeles Charter included the initiative , the referendum and the impeachment that allowed voters through a petition to put the issue of survival of an elected politician on the ballot to remove him. ”
Dr. Soneshein said it became very popular and spread throughout California, in local governments and the west of the country .
“On 1911, California voters made an amendment to include the initiative, referendum, and impeachment in the Constitution ”.
Unfortunately, they did not adopt a small peculiarity that the LA Charter has, which allows a second round in a recall election for make sure the winner is selected by majority.
Shirley Weber, California Secretary of State, determined to achieve a high turnout at the polls. (Courtesy of Assemblyman Shirley Weber)
Agree to the statistics of the Secretary of State, from 179 Impeachment attempts against elected state officials in California, only 11 on 100 years, they got enough signatures to get on the ballot.
In this impeachment election, one thing that is going to help is that the state government is delivering absentee ballots to every registered voter in California. “Without that, the possibility of having a high vote would have gone out the window.”
He specified that it is very important to clarify that the first The question is: We must remove the governor of California. If you answer no, it means that you are supporting the governor. If you vote yes, you will have to choose a replacement from a list of 46 candidates appearing on the ballot.
“If the governor is removed, that means that more than 50% voted to remove him. ”
He clarified that it is not possible to vote in favor of the governor either putting his name on the ballot because that vote will not count.
He also emphasized that it will be enough for one of the candidates to have the 15% of the vote to be governor. “That is, to win you need to have the highest number of votes, not the majority.”
If a new governor is elected, he will govern until January 2023, when the governor-elect takes office in November 2022.
