When California’s recall system was first put in place in the 1910s, it was part of a package of reforms intended to safeguard democracy by putting power directly in the hands of voters.
However, every California governor elected since 1968 has faced a recall attempt, and these efforts too often threaten to override choices made by the people. This year’s gubernatorial recall brought these concerns to the fore again, with many concerned that the recall would replace a popularly elected governor with a candidate who received far fewer votes in a low-turnout election. What are the implications for democracy if these recall attempts persist?
How might we reform the recall process to address the current drawbacks without introducing new ways for the process to be abused?
Join Bay Area Democracy Funders for a 501(c)(3) discussion to explore the roots of California’s recall system and the proposals to ensure it once again becomes a safeguard, not workaround, for democracy. We’ll hear from experts who bring a variety of perspectives on both the well-intended origins and the unfortunate consequences of our current recall system, the pathways to possible reform, and ways in which philanthropy can engage.
Featured Speakers:
- Joshua Spivak, Senior Fellow at the Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform and author of Recall Elections: From Alexander Hamilton to Gavin Newsom
- Jonathan Mehta Stein, Executive Director, California Common Cause
- Veronica Carrizales, Policy and Campaign Development Director, California Calls
