Newsom recall election moves forward.

Just 43 people withdrew their signatures from recall petitions

The push to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom is moving forward.

On Wednesday, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber notified the state’s Department of Finance that backers of the recall effort have officially submitted enough valid signatures to initiate a recall election.

Earlier this year, recall supporters submitted more than 1.7 million verified signatures, well above the roughly 1.5 million needed to put the issue on the ballot. But the state gave voters 30 business days to remove their names before moving forward.

Weber’s office said Wednesday that just 43 people withdrew their signatures, triggering the notification to the finance department.

What’s next?

The Department of Finance now officially has 30 business days to estimate the cost of the recall election, which then goes to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, which typically has 30 days to review the estimate. Then Weber certifies the signatures. After that, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis schedules the election for between 60 and 80 days later.

But things could move faster. Earlier this month, the Department of Finance issued a preliminary estimate of what it would cost counties to hold an election: $215 million. A coalition of counties had requested the early estimate as part of a bid to push lawmakers to help cash-strapped counties battered by the pandemic cover some of the expense of a special election. While the estimate is not complete — it doesn’t cover the Secretary of State’s costs, for instance — it may mean the department does not need to take until the Aug. 5 deadline to submit its official estimate.

Lawmakers, likewise, have indicated they can review the cost faster, which could ultimately mean a late summer election rather than a fall trip to the polls.

Newsom had faced ire from some residents for his handling of the pandemic, particularly around business and school closures. But polling suggests most Golden State voters are not interested in recalling the sitting governor, and pandemic restrictions have eased, prompting Newsom’s Democratic allies to suggest a summer election — ahead of what is all but certain to be a brutal fire season — could help the governor stay in office.

Newsom’s challengers must submit 65 signatures, pay a $4,194.94 filing fee and supply five years of tax returns to get on the ballot.

So far, a number of Republicans, including former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, John Cox, who ran against Newsom in 2018, and reality star Caitlyn Jenner, have launched bids to unseat Newsom. But so far no major Democratic challengers have emerged and Newsom has a significant fundraising edge.