What Went Down At The California Recall Election: Live Results

Yeah, it seems to me like an obvious fix would be to hold one election where anyone — including the recall target — can run, and conducting that election via ranked-choice voting.

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.