What Went Down At The California Recall Election: Live Results

So is there a better way to do this? California’s current system is definitely confusing and kludgy — are there other states that do it better?

The problem with a run-off (or a replacement vote on a different day) is the cost. Miami-Dade County ended up spending in the neighborhood of $15 million in 2011 when voters recalled and removed their mayor, which required three separate votes. One of the reasons Michigan cited in changing its law in 2012 was cost. One possible solution: instant run-off for the replacement candidates.

To go back to Kaleigh’s point, I agree that the practicality of the recall is the most problematic aspect, not the actual concept. Adding on to what Ryan said, too, a system that allows someone who gets such a tiny percentage of the vote to govern the most populous state in the country and a campaign strategy of telling people not to fill out half the ballot doesn’t feel very democratic. In theory, recall elections seem like a fair check on power. In reality, most Californians think this particular one is a waste of money.

But there’s probably a better way to do it. According to a July PPIC poll, only about a third of likely voters thought the recall process is “fine the way it is.” A majority (68 percent) supported a reform that would hold a runoff election between the top replacement candidates.