Newsom recall effort gets 1.95 million signatures, cushion for 1.5 million valid signatures

Organizers of the effort to recall California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday they have gathered 1.95 million petition signatures – providing a cushion for having the minimum 1.5 million valid signatures to trigger a recall election.

The group hopes to reach 2 million signatures by the March 17 deadline. 

"One thing we want to let everybody know here, especially to the politicians across the street and the lobbyists that have destroyed California’s dream for decades and generations is that your game’s over," Randall Economy, senior advisor to Recall Gavin Newsom 2020 told Fox News. "From now on, the people of California are in charge."

The most recent signature verification numbers from the Secretary of State’s Office found that about 83% of the signatures, from registered California voters, counted by early February were valid. There’s no guarantee that validity rate will hold for the remaining signatures, but if it does, proponents would reach the threshold needed to have a special recall election, according to the Sacramento Bee.

Numerous recall efforts against Newsom and other California governors have occurred over the past few decades including a successful one in 2003 on Gov. Gray Davis. 

A Newsom special recall election would likely be in November.

Californians are upset with Newsom over the state's high coronavirus numbers with school districts and much of the state economy closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. They became outraged in November 2020 when Newsom attended a fancy Napa Valley dinner party in apparent violation of his own mandates on indoor dining during the pandemic.