Gavin Newsom Recall Campaign Reaches 1 Million Signature Mark

The campaign to recall Governor Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that they have broken the 1 million signature barrier and now are about 2/3rds of the way to getting a recall election against Governor Newsom later this year.

The petition campaign has been going on since last year and had been given a 120 day extension in November. However, Newsom’s refusal to end the lockdown, as well as the Governor being caught violating his own state health guidelines at gatherings, his inaction during the $2 billion EDD fraud case, and, until recently, a lack of any relief follow-up for small businesses following a few programs last year, brought new life into the campaign in December. The campaign made national and even international news due to the multiple incidents, adding a large number of new signatures virtually overnight.

The movement has not shown to have slowed down since. The campaign sat at just over 800,000 signatures in mid-December. Less than a month later, over 1 million had been announced.

“One million frustrated Californians have signed the official recall petition,” said chairman of Rescue California Tom Del Beccaro. “We are two-thirds of the way to giving voters the opportunity to choose a new governor and a new direction for the state.”

While the number of signatures needed to reach the ballot is at 1.495 million, more will be needed as many may not be counted due to being invalid, being a multiple from the same person, being signed by a non-voter, or other reason.

“We need about 1.8 million signatures by mid-March to qualify the recall for the ballot,” noted former finance chair of the California GOP and current honorary chair of  Rescue California Anne Hyde Dunsmore. “The campaign’s goal is 2 million signatures.”

Those tacking the campaign have said that while 2 million may not be reached, the campaign itself is on pace to get at least 1.5 million signatures.

“They’ve been getting a lot recently, around 200,000 more in just over a month,” noted former lobbyist Harry Schultz in a Globe interview. “Plus recalls always have huge bumps at the end due to campaigns going out strong.

“I’m not sure this recall campaign will get 2 million signatures, but it should get at least 1.5 million, which is enough to turn in. As for enough valid signatures, it’s looking more and more likely. A lot of people have been spurred by recent events, and with the Capitol in DC being taken over by a  mob today, it may only shoot up from there.”

More signatures coming in, possible 2021 candidates

Organizers themselves also remain optimistic, pointing out that large packets of signatures are continuing to come in.

“On Monday [we] received 12,000 letters from voters who responded to a direct-mail campaign,” added Dunsmore. “There had to be 20,000 signatures in there.”

Should the campaign get enough valid signatures to spur a recall, organizers have said that they hope to have such an election by August or September. While no candidates have been officially been named, organizers have said that former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and 2018 GOP Gubernatorial candidate John Cox, both current frontrunners for the Republican ticket in the 2022 Gubernatorial election, are among the potential candidates.

“It’s why a lot are declaring now,” continued Schultz. “They all want a foot in the door in case there is a Governor election a year early.”

Recall Gavin 2020, found here, and Rescue California, found here, have until March 10, 2021 to get the 1,495,709 signatures, or 12% of the total Gubernatorial vote in 2018, needed to advance to the ballot.