CALIFORNIA, USA — What to do on Question 2? Leave it blank, Newsom says
With just over a month until the California gubernatorial recall election, the State Democratic Party has not given its voters any direction on who they should choose on question 2 of the ballot. And if Gov. Gavin Newsom had his way, voters would just leave it blank.
According to reporting by the Los Angeles Times and Politico, Gov. Newsom on Monday said Democratic voters should not vote for any of the 46 other candidates vying to replace him.
“We’re just focusing on ‘no’ on the recall, leaving the rest blank,” Newsom told Politico.
The gubernatorial recall ballot will consist of two parts. The first part is a yes or no question: “Shall GAVIN NEWSOM be recalled (removed) from the office of Governor?” If a majority of voters vote “No” then the rest of the ballot becomes moot. Newsom would stay governor.
The second part kicks in if most voters choose “Yes” on question one. At that point, whichever of the 46 replacement candidates receives a plurality of the vote would become governor and would be up for reelection in the 2022 governor’s race.
Question 2 does not include Newsom or any other Democratic candidates with political experience. That was a gamble by the Newsom team to not risk splitting the party’s vote, according to the LA Times.
The recall election will take place on Sept. 14, but most California residents will start to receive their mail-in ballots as early as next week.
How did John Cox go from GOP standard-bearer to bears and trash balls?
It’s two days before the California Republican Party is supposed to pick its torchbearer, so the other leading candidates in the campaign to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom are busy making phone calls and schmoozing party delegates.
But John Cox has other plans this Thursday morning: He’s in front of the state Capitol showing off a life-sized board game. “Gavinopoly” — which the candidate explains is meant to illustrate his new tax plan — is only the latest prop in what has become the recall’s most prop-happy campaign.
Many voters will remember the 1,000-pound bear that Cox, an investment manager and accountant from north San Diego County, chauffeured around on his first statewide bus tour of the recall race. Fewer probably recall the follow-up gimmick: A 8-foot ball of trash.
This one — a 12-by-12 foot game board made up of sofa cushion-sized jigsaw puzzle pieces — is a bit easier to manage, his campaign aides all agree. No trailer nor finicky tarp nor wildlife wrangler toting rotisserie chickens required. “This is definitely the most interesting campaign I’ve worked on,” said campaign manager Bryan Reed.
And not just because of all the visual aids.
Cox — the GOP’s standard bearer in the 2018 governor’s race and listed as a Republican on the Sept. 14 recall ballot — is now accusing the party of insider dealing and corruption.
The millionaire, who is funding his own campaign, said he’s happy to go it alone this time.
Reps. Lee, Bass hosting virtual ‘Women Against Recall’ event with Newsom
California Representatives Barbara Boxer and Karen Bass are hosting a virtual campaign event titled “Women Against the Recall” with Gov. Gavin Newsom Monday evening.
The event is billed as a “conversation on what we need to do to get out the vote and defeat the Republican recall.”
The event begins at 5 p.m. and guests must register before joining. Tap here to learn more.
California to offer vaccine incentive to Medicaid population
California has announced another round of coronavirus vaccine incentives.
The California Department of Health Care Services on Friday said it would spend $350 million to vaccinate more people on the state's Medicaid program. Medicaid is the joint state and federal health insurance program for people who are disabled or have low incomes.
About 76% of California residents 12 and over have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. But only 45% of the state's Medicaid population has been vaccinated.
The new incentives include up to $50 grocery store gift cards. About 13.8 million people are enrolled in California's Medicaid program.
Key Dates
- Aug. 4 - Republican recall candidates debate
- Aug. 7 - Republican Party virtual delegate vote
- Aug. 16 - First day to vote by mail
- August 30 - Last day to register to vote
- Sept. 14 - Recall election day
California Recall Fast Facts
On July 17, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber released a list of the 41 candidates who qualified to run in the recall election. About 70 candidates initially filed a statement of intent to run with the secretary of state, according to Ballotpedia.
On July 21, Weber signed off on the finalized list of candidates who'll appear on the recall ballot. The number grew to 46 after a judge ruled that candidates should not be required to submit tax forms for a recall election.
The final day for candidates to file paperwork to run in the recall election was July 16.
The final report from the Secretary of State's office, released on June 23, validated 1,719,943 signatures on the recall petition. The recall effort needed 1,495,709 verified signatures to trigger a recall election. Approximately 441,406 signatures were invalidated.
Only 43 people of the more than 1.7 million Californians who signed the recall petition chose to remove their name from the list.
On July 1, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis finalized the cost of the election at $276 million.