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  CA Governor Recall
RACE DETAILS
Parents > United States > California > Governor
OfficeGovernor
HonorificGovernor - Abbr: Gov.
Type Special Election
Filing Deadline August 09, 2003 - 12:00pm Central
Polls Open October 07, 2003 - 09:00am Central
Polls Close October 07, 2003 - 10:00pm Central
Term Start November 17, 2003 - 12:00pm
Term End January 03, 2007 - 12:00pm
Invalid Votes Under Votes: 755,575
Contributor411 Name Removed
Last ModifiedRBH March 16, 2021 07:31pm
Data Sources[Link]
Description
Candidates have until 5 p.m. August 9, 2003 to file papers with the supporting signatures of 65 registered voters and pay a $3,500 filing fee. Elections officials have until Aug. 13 to verify signatures and announce which candidates have qualified.

Question instructing voters to choose a successor to Gray Davis in case Question 1 passes. Gray Davis is not an eligible candidate.

One legacy of early 20th century political reformer Hiram Johnson is the recall election.

In a recall, voters decide whether to throw out an elected official. It's been tried 118 times in 90 years against state officials. It has succeeded exactly four times - two of them in the 1990s in Orange County, when Assembly members Paul Horcher and Doris Allen were tossed from office in the wake of a fight over the speakership.

Democratic Gov. Culbert Olson faced five recall drives, including three his first year in office, and the ugly campaigns helped seal his 1942 defeat at the hands of Earl Warren.

Govs. Pat Brown, Ronald Reagan, Jerry Brown, Pete Wilson all faced recall attempts. In all, there have been 32 recall drives against California governors.

Gov. Gray Davis is the latest target. If past is prologue, this attempt will go nowhere. But Davis, burdened with negatives, is seen as vulnerable, and even a failed recall would roil California's political landscape.

Davis was indeed recalled on a vote of 55.4% yes, 44.6% no. See [Link]

[More...]
LAST GENERAL ELECTION
  PartyDemocratic Won11/05/2002
NameGray Davis Votes3,533,490 (47.26%)
Term01/03/2003 - 11/17/2003 Margin363,689 (+4.86%)
NEXT GENERAL ELECTION
  PartyRepublican Won11/07/2006
NameArnold Schwarzenegger Votes4,850,157 (55.88%)
Term01/03/2007 - 01/03/2011 Margin1,473,425 (+16.98%)
PRIMARY/OTHER SCHEDULE
LEANING PREDICTIONS    Detail
Leaning Graph
02/12/2003 10/07/2003
CandidateSlightLeanStrongSafe
Richard Riordan 3 ------
Arnold Schwarzenegger 9 18 8 1
Cruz M. Bustamante 3 5 ----
Tom McClintock 4 ------
Leaning Call: Arnold Schwarzenegger (78.49%)
Weighted Call: Arnold Schwarzenegger (99.97%)
MATCHUP POLL GRAPH
Poll Graph

04/01/2003 10/01/2003

CANDIDATES
Photo
Name Arnold Schwarzenegger Lt. Gov. Cruz M. Bustamante St. Sen. Tom McClintock Peter M. Camejo Arianna Huffington Commissioner Peter V. Ueberroth Larry C. Flynt
PartyRepublican Democratic Republican Green Independent Republican Democratic
Campaign Logo
Certified Votes 4,206,284 (48.58%) 2,724,874 (31.47%) 1,161,287 (13.41%) 242,247 (2.80%) 47,505 (0.55%) 25,134 (0.29%) 17,458 (0.20%)
Margin0 (0.00%) -1,481,410 (-17.11%) -3,044,997 (-35.17%) -3,964,037 (-45.79%) -4,158,779 (-48.03%) -4,181,150 (-48.29%) -4,188,826 (-48.38%)
Predict Avg.23.98% 13.00% 12.33% 0.55% 0.00% 0.00% 0.27%
Cash On Hand 9/28 $3,451,488.00 9/28 $100,114.25 9/28 $305,415.37 9/28 $19,190.94 10/13 $-235,000.01 $-- 8/28 $30,000.00
Website [Website] [Website] [Website] [Website] [Website] [Website]
Entry Date 08/06/2003 08/07/2003 07/23/2003 06/13/2003 08/06/2003 08/09/2003 08/01/2003
Bar
MATCHUP POLLS (21 from 10 pollsters)
Adj Poll Avg36.02%-- 25.88%-- 15.07%-- 2.90%-- 0.92%-- 5.94%-- 0.94%--
Field Poll 
09/29/03-10/01/03
36.00% 9.0 26.00% 6.0 16.00% 2.0 6.00% 4.0 0.00% 3.0 0.00% -- 0.00% --
Los Angeles Times 
09/30/03-09/30/03
40.00% 15.0 32.00% 2.0 15.00% 3.0 0.00% 2.0 0.00% 3.0 0.00% 8.0 0.00% --
Survey USA 
09/28/03-09/30/03
45.00% 6.0 28.00% 11.0 16.00% 11.0 0.00% -- 3.00% 2.0 0.00% 7.0 0.00% --
Gallup 
09/28/03-09/28/03
40.00% -- 25.00% -- 18.00% -- 5.00% -- 2.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% --
Baselice & Associates (R) 
09/24/03-09/25/03
35.00% -- 31.00% -- 17.00% -- 4.00% -- 3.00% -- 1.00% -- 1.00% --
Public Policy Institute 
09/08/03-09/19/03
26.00% -- 28.00% -- 14.00% -- 0.00% 3.0 0.00% 2.0 0.00% -- 0.00% --
ENDORSEMENTS
Endorsements
MORE CANDIDATES
Photo
Name Gary Coleman George B. Schwartzman Mary "Mary Carey" Cook Bruce Martin Margolin Bill Simon Van Vo John Christopher Burton
PartyIndependent Independent Independent Democratic Republican Republican Independent
Campaign Logo
Certified Votes 14,242 (0.16%) 12,382 (0.14%) 11,179 (0.13%) 9,188 (0.11%) 8,913 (0.10%) 7,226 (0.08%) 6,748 (0.08%)
Margin-4,192,042 (-48.42%) -4,193,902 (-48.44%) -4,195,105 (-48.45%) -4,197,096 (-48.48%) -4,197,371 (-48.48%) -4,199,058 (-48.50%) -4,199,536 (-48.51%)
Predict Avg.0.00% 0.00% 0.09% 0.00% 4.00% 0.00% 0.14%
Cash On Hand $-- $-- $-- $-- $-- $-- $--
Website [Website] [Website] [Website]
Entry Date 08/01/2003 -- 08/01/2003 -- 04/12/2003 08/00/2003 07/00/2003
MATCHUP POLLS (21 from 10 pollsters)
Adj Poll Avg0.00%-- 0.00%-- 0.00%-- 0.00%-- 8.27%-- 0.00%-- 0.00%--
Field Poll 
09/29/03-10/01/03
0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% --
Los Angeles Times 
09/30/03-09/30/03
0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% --
Survey USA 
09/28/03-09/30/03
0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% 6.0 0.00% -- 0.00% --
Gallup 
09/28/03-09/28/03
0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% --
Baselice & Associates (R) 
09/24/03-09/25/03
0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% --
Public Policy Institute 
09/08/03-09/19/03
0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% -- 0.00% --
ENDORSEMENTS
Endorsements
VIEW 149 MORE CANDIDATES

DROPPED OUT - NO VOTES
John Garamendi (D)
Aug 07, 2003 - Aug 09, 2003
Michael Huffington (R)
Jun 25, 2003 - Aug 07, 2003
Darrell Issa (R)
Jun 15, 2003 - Aug 07, 2003
None of the Above (I)
Aug 06, 2003
Others (I)
Aug 06, 2003
Richard Riordan (R)
Aug 06, 2003

EVENTS
Start Date End Date Type Title Contributor

VIDEO ADVERTISEMENTS
Start Date Candidate Category Ad Tone Lng Title Run Time Contributor
10/06/2003 Mary Carey TVAd Issue eng Mary Carey for Governor   00:00:30 Green Pigs 

BOOKS
Title Purchase Contributor

INFORMATION LINKS

NEWS
Date Category Headline Article Contributor
Feb 21, 2004 12:00am News Schwarzenegger Is Raising Funds Faster Than Davis  Article Gerald Farinas 
Feb 04, 2004 12:00am Humor DAVIS ACTING UP  Article BILLYW 
Dec 12, 2003 12:00am Analysis Schwarzenegger breaking campaign vows  Article RP 
Oct 08, 2003 12:00am News Davis concedes, Schwarzenegger wins  Article None Entered 
Oct 08, 2003 12:00am News Davis, Democrats lock in successes as GOP reality sets in  Article CA Pol Junkie 
Oct 08, 2003 12:00am News Bush congratulates victorious Schwarzenegger  Article None Entered 

DISCUSSION