So much has happened in American politics since 2021 that the recall election of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, which he overwhelmingly defeated, feels like a distant memory. 

Proposition 5 on the November ballot puts recalls back in the spotlight. 

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Authored by former Democratic state Sen. Josh Newman of Fullerton — who was recalled in 2018, won reelection in 2020 and lost again in 2024 — Prop 5 would overhaul California’s process for recalling state-level officials. 

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Here’s how the current process works: 

To recall a statewide official, proponents must gather signatures totaling at least 12% of votes cast for that office in the prior election. For the Newsom recall, that threshold was 1.3 million signatures. To recall members of the state Assembly and Senate, the minimum number of signatures is 20% of votes cast for that office in the last election — for Newman’s recall, that threshold was about 63,600 signatures. 

Once a recall qualifies, voters then receive a ballot with two questions — one, should this official be recalled, and two, who should replace them? — and a list of replacement candidates. If a simple majority votes in favor of the recall, the........

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