Another ploy to maintain a supermajority in the state was presented by State Senator Josh Newman to revamp California’s recall election process. This proposal, if approved, will not benefit the voters but rather ensure that the already elected officials stay in office.
Senator Newman, who was himself recalled from his Senate seat in 2016, has proposed a change that would do away with the second question in the recall process, which allows for replacement candidates to run for office. The new proposal would name the lieutenant governor as the automatic successor in the case of a recall election for the governor, and in all other cases, the recalled official would be replaced in a special election or in the next regular election, with the recalled official being allowed to run.
The reason for this change is clear: politics. Senator Newman has admitted that the previous proposal failed because “the assessment at the time was that turnout in a midterm vote was likely to be lower and less broad-based than in the coming presidential election cycle.”
It is alarming that the political motivations of Senator Newman and the Democratic Party have clouded their judgement and have led them to push for changes that would make it easier for elected officials to stay in office, even if they are unpopular among the voters.
Moreover, the recent report by a coalition of organizations on local redistricting also highlights the need for more independent commissions and stricter rules for mapping and public input in local redistricting. The report found that local redistricting too often has been used by incumbents to entrench their power and advance one political party or faction over another.
Every citizen should urge the state of California to prioritize the needs and interests of the voters, and not make changes that would only serve the political interests of the incumbent officials. Let’s work towards a fair and transparent election process that truly represents the will of the people.
Photo via Gavin Newsom on Twitter
