The referendum calling on Californian voters to vote on the dismissal of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, prompted by a petition that has collected more than 1.7 million signatures, will be held on September 14, local authorities announced Thursday (July 1).
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A precedent remains in all memories: it is thanks to a similar referendum that the actor Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected in 2003 as head of the most populous state in the United States on behalf of the Republican Party. Like twenty other American states, California indeed allows disgruntled voters to organize a "recall ballot" to replace the governor. For this, they must collect the signatures of at least 12% of the voters of the previous election. This threshold having been reached, a vote will be held on September 14 to ask voters if they want to replace Gavin Newsom and if so, by whom.
"I believe I have chosen a fair and reasonable date for this election"
which
"leaves time for the authorities to prepare and inform voters,"
Lieutenant Governor of California Eleni Kounalakis told AFP in a statement. .
The choice of this date, however, leaves little time for candidates not yet declared to make themselves known.
Gavin Newsom, 53, will find in his path Caitlyn Jenner, transgender personality and member of the Kardashian clan, who defends like many other candidates the colors of the Republican Party.
No known Democrat has stepped forward yet.
Read also: The governor of California under the threat of a referendum
According to polls carried out in May by the Public Policy Institute of California, Gavin Newsom has a good chance of keeping his job anyway: only 40% of those who think they will vote supported the removal of Gavin Newsom and a majority (54 %) approved of his action. California voters also voted overwhelmingly for the Democratic camp in the last election. Elected by universal suffrage, governors are the chief executive officers in the American states. They have significant budgetary powers, as well as over local legislation.