Gavin Newsom recall effort will now begin gathering signatures following petition approval

The latest recall effort against California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom will begin gathering signatures. On Tuesday, the California Secretary of State's Elections Division approved the campaign's petition for circulation, KGTV reported.

A recent memo to Rescue California read, "Today, March 26, 2024, the Secretary of State's office approved petitions for circulation for the recall of Governor Gavin Newsom."

The citizen-led group, which launched in February, has until September 3, 2024, to collect a minimum of 1,311,963 valid signatures. The number of signatures required to get a recall vote on the ballot is equal to 12% of the votes cast in the previous gubernatorial election.

"Valid signatures must be obtained from at least five counties and in each of those counties must equal at least 1% of the last vote for Governor," the memo explained.

Rescue California argues that Newsom "has abandoned the state to advance his Presidential ambitions." The group slammed the governor for "leaving behind a $68 Billion budget deficit and a public safety, immigration and education crisis."

Newsom "granted 700,000 illegal immigrants free health care at a cost to taxpayers of $3 billion annually, while cutting vital programs for veterans, school children, the disabled and the homeless," Rescue California's website stated.

The governor also "kept schools closed during Covid longer than other states allowing California students to fall further behind in basic skills such as language and mathematics," the group claimed.

The latest recall effort marks at least the fifth attempt to remove the governor from office, The Hill previously reported.

Rescue California led a recall to oust Newsom in 2021. While the group successfully gathered enough signatures to make it on the ballot, the governor ultimately won the election by 23 points.

Anne Hyde Dunsmore with Rescue California stated in February, "He's exhibited [an ability] ... to take care of problems very quickly when he feels like it. He cleaned up a city in three days, he fixed a freeway in less than two weeks," KEYE reported.

Rescue California blamed Newsom for the state's homelessness crisis.

"In the last two years, the homeless population has exploded, crime rates have increased, learning loss for students is off the charts, and a multi-billion dollar surplus is now a $70 billion deficit. The blame is on the Governor's shoulders while he is campaigning nationally," the group stated in a post on Facebook.

Residents also recently launched a separate recall effort against George Soros-backed, leftist Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. The group submitted 123,000 signatures for validation earlier this month, but only 73,000 must be validated to get a recall vote on the ballot.

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