Gov. Newsom’s fate up to voters; Sept. 14 recall election looms

Group angry with Newsom got enough signatures to trigger a recall vote

The fate of Gov. Gavin Newsom will be in the hands of California voters on Sept. 14 after enough valid voter signatures were gathered earlier this year by those wishing to recall the governor triggered a recall election.

The election will be held both in person in Mono County (see box below this article for locations and addresses) and, using mail-in ballots, which were mailed out by the Mono County Elections Office on Aug. 16.

If voters still do not have their ballot, see how to contact the Elections Office in the box below this article.

The last date to register to vote in this special election is Aug. 30 (see

box below this article).

Newsom is the second governor in California history to face a recall election. Gov. Gray Davis was successfully recalled in 2003. Since 1913, there have been a total of 55 attempts to recall a governor, with only the Newsom and Davis recall efforts qualifying for the ballot.

The recall election is complicated and confusing, as those who have received the ballot know.

Within the ballot are two main questions: 1) Should Gov. Gavin Newsom be recalled? and 2) Who should replace him?

Voters can vote “YES” or “NO” on the first question. Should 50 percent plus one of all voters voting in this election vote “NO,” as in ‘NO, he should not be recalled,’ Newsom remains governor.

Should 50 percent plus one of all voters vote “YES,” as in ‘YES, he should be recalled,’ he is recalled.

The second question on the ballot lists a long list of candidates (46) vying to replace Newsom IF he is recalled. Voters can choose a candidate, or they can leave the second question blank, regardless of how they voted on the first question. In this case, if Newsom is recalled, the top vote getter in this huge field will replace Newsom later this fall. This means a candidate could get as little as 15 percent of every vote cast in this second question and still be able to replace Newsom.

So, how does this election work, and what are the deadlines to know about? As of this week, all of Mono County’s registered voters should have received their ballots in the mail, as the ballots were mailed out on Aug. 16.

If you have not received your ballot, see below.

If you have not registered to vote in Mono County but wish to vote in the election, you can still register to vote until Aug. 30, according to the Mono County Registrar of Voters Office.

There is also a “Conditional Voter” registration period for those who miss the Aug. 30 deadline; it is Aug. 31-Sept. 14, the office said. Polls open on Sept. 14 at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Ballots postmarked by Sept. 14 (Election Day) and received by the Elections Office by Sept. 21 will still be counted, the office said.

There will be in-person voting on the day of the election in Mammoth Lakes High School Library, the Walker, Crowley Lake, June Lake and Chalfant community centers, and the Bridgeport Memorial Hall.

There are also secure “Drop Boxes,” the same ones used for the 2020 General Election, located at each of these locations, except for Mammoth Lakes where the drop box will be at the new, Mono County Civic Center located at 1290 Tavern Road. Drop boxes will be locked at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Sept. 14.

A post-election audit is tentatively scheduled for Oct.

13. The California Secretary of State will certify the election results on Oct. 22.

Poll workers will be following all safety guidelines for everyone’s well-being.

Current Covid-19 guidelines are available by visiting https://coronavirus.monocounty.ca.gov/

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE • Locations of polling places and more voting information can be found at https://monocounty.ca.gov/elections. • For more information regarding voting in this election, call Elections: 760-932-5537 Main: 760-932-5530 • Mono County residents are encouraged to check their

registered voter information and mailing address at Voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.