Nineteen states allow voters to recall public officials (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2012). Whereas impeachment is based on legal procedures and involves some type of ‘trial’ by a legislative institution, recall processes offer opportunities to the electorate. Voters can, in some circumstances, bring a public official’s term of office to a premature end and force a new election. The circumstances in which officials can be recalled, and the mechanisms through which the process takes place (such as the number of signatures to be gathered before a vote can be held) differ significantly between states.
Recall elections are a comparative rarity. In 2003, California voters recalled Democratic governor, Gray Davis and, at the same time, elected Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger in his place. Usually, however, recall is used to force lower-level officials such as mayors from office. Only two state governors (including Davis) have been recalled successfully.
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