Gavin Newsom will be fixed on his fate on September 14. The date of the referendum calling on the Californian electorate to vote on the dismissal of the Democratic governor, prompted by a petition that collected more than 1.7 million signatures, was set by local authorities on Thursday 1er July.
A precedent remains in all memories: it is thanks to a similar referendum that the actor Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected in 2003, on behalf of the Republican Party, at the head of the most populous state in the United States.
Like twenty other American states, California allows disgruntled voters to organize a “Recall ballot” to replace the governor. For this, they must collect the signatures of at least 12% of the voters of the previous election. This threshold has been reached.
Gavin Newsom remains favorite
“I believe I have chosen a fair and reasonable date for this election” who “Gives the authorities time to prepare and inform voters”, Lieutenant Governor of California Eleni Kounalakis said in a statement to Agence France-Presse (AFP). However, this date leaves little time for candidates not yet declared to make themselves known.
Among them, Caitlyn Jenner, transgender personality and member of the Kardashian clan, who defends – like many other candidates – the colors of the Republican Party. No known Democrat has stepped forward yet.
According to polls carried out in May by the Public Policy Institute of California, Mr Newsom has a good chance of retaining his post: only 40% of those who said they were going to vote supported the removal of Gavin Newsom and a majority (54%) approved of his action. Californian voters also voted overwhelmingly for the Democratic camp in the last election.
