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Proposition 5 would change how California replaces state officials who are recalled.
Right now, voters decide whether to recall an official and pick a replacement on the same ballot. This constitutional amendment would push the choice of a successor to a separate, later election, and the recalled official could run in it. The California Legislature placed this measure on the ballot.
What’s at stake
The measure would reshape a process that has removed a sitting governor before. Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, first won office through a recall in 2003. If a governor were recalled under Prop. 5, the lieutenant governor would take over the governor’s duties until voters elect a new governor. The proposal came from the secretary of state’s office after the failed 2021 attempt to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Ballot language
Official title on the ballot: Prop. 5: Changes Recall Election Process for Statewide Officers.
Language you will see:Sponsored message
Under current law, voters elect replacement candidates at the same time as the recall election. This measure instead fills recall vacancies by subsequent special election or appointment. Fiscal Impact: Net fiscal effect unknown. In the event of a recall, savings or costs of millions of dollars to administer the election depending on the office recalled.
What your vote means
- A “yes” vote means: Recall elections would no longer include a question about who should fill the vacancy. Instead, vacancies typically would be filled through special elections or appointments, depending on the office and timing.
- A “no” vote means: Voters would continue to be asked who should fill the vacancy as part of recall elections.
Understanding Prop. 5
Here's how the Legislative Analyst's Office, the California legislative nonpartisan fiscal and policy adviser, breaks it down:
If a state official is recalled, Proposition 5 makes the office of the recalled official vacant. Except for the office of the Governor, Proposition 5 uses the existing process for filling vacancies to fill the office. In the case of an office in the state Senate or Assembly, this means that a replacement typically would be elected through a separate special election. The Governor would choose who would fill a vacancy in any other office (other than office of the Governor).
What supporters say
- California's Secretary of State Shirley Weber told lawmakers her office believes a recall election should focus on whether the official should be removed, not on whether other candidates would do the job better. The measure’s author, Democrat Josh Newman, was recalled from his state Senate seat in 2018. He says the measure would cut down on the “political gamesmanship” that can lift up candidates who wouldn’t otherwise win a majority of votes.
- Notable supporters: California Common Cause, the California Democratic Party, the League of Women Voters, Indivisible CA: StateStrong and The Sacramento Bee editorial board.
What opponents say
- Opponents argue that letting the lieutenant governor step in for a recalled governor would discourage people from taking part in recall elections.
- Notable opponents: Nearly all legislative Republicans also opposed the measure, saying it would weaken voters’ power and protect incumbents.
Potential financial impact
A highlight from the Legislative Analyst's Office analysis: "The net fiscal effect is unknown because it depends on future recall elections. Proposition 5 could lead to savings or costs potentially in the range of millions of dollars to administer recall elections. How these savings or costs would be shared by state and county governments would depend on future decisions by the Legislature."
Sponsored message
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Sharpen your pencils and get out your notebooks — it’s time for a cram session! -
LAist reporter Cato Hernández has been covering judicial elections since 2022 and they will help you navigate these particularly challenging pages on your ballot.
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Further reading
- CalMatters: Democrats want to change the rules for recall elections. Voters get their say with Prop 5
- CalMatters video: Explaining Prop. 5
- KCRA: California voters to decide on Prop 5 changes to recall election process | California Politics 360
Rene Lynch contributed to this report.
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