California State Senator Ben Allen has introduced SCA 2. It would amend the State Constitution to change how recall elections are held. Currently, if a recall petition is successful, a recall election is held that simultaneously asks if the office-holder should be recalled, and also allows a new election for that office. If the recall wins, then the winner of the simultaneous special election is seated. The office-holder subject to recall is not listed as a candidate in that simultaneous special election. SCA 2 would provide that the office-holder being recalled would also be listed as a candidate for his or her current job (assuming the office-holder chooses not to resign).
Recall ENTIRE legislative bodies [due to PR] or any exec/judic officer.
Ridiculous. Listing the person being recalled as a candidate pretty much defeats the purpose of having the recall election.
@Andy,
That is the /purpose/ of the change, to make a recall a waste of effort. It also provides for plurality election. If 25% say they want to keep the current official, but the 75% who want to replace the official are divided, then the current official stays in place. During the 2003 gubernatorial recall, Cruz Bustamante’s campaign was hampered because he couldn’t forcefully campaign. About 8% of voters on the recall question did not vote for a replacement candidate.
A better approach would be to do like Wisconsin, and make recall equivalent to an accelerated special election. In California, this would be by Top 2. Or better yet, let the elected official serve a full term.
Or generalizing, make the length of a term dependent on the share of votes. If a candidate gets 100% of the votes let him serve 8 years. If they get 50%, a four-year term. A NOTA vote, could shorten the term.If