In February 2020, an activist campaign began a petition to recall the Governor Gavin Newsom, criticizing the Governor’s position and actions on taxes, immigration, health care, gun control and other issues. The petition has since gained momentum, fueled by COVID-19 protocols and support measures implemented by Newsom, and other issues such as fiscal management, fire mitigation, and more. The petition surpassed the signature threshold for a ballot initiative in late April.
On September 14, 2021, California voters statewide will be able to vote to recall or not, and also have the opportunity to select a replacement candidate.
Over 40 candidates of various backgrounds are in the running to replace Newsom. The front runners are purported to be talk show host Larry Elder of Los Angeles, businessman and entrepreneur John Cox of Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego’s 36th Mayor Kevin Faulconer, and realtor-turned-youtuber Kevin Paffrath of Ventura.
If Gov. Newsom does not win a majority of voters, the candidate with the highest percentage of the vote will assume the position within 28 days. You can learn more about the California recall process here.
Newsom’s supporters have coalesced under the moniker Stop The Republican Recall, and include President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Senators Alex Padilla, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and a host of Democratic and Progressive leaders, as well as the California Teachers Association and the California Nurses Association, among others. They accuse the recall effort of being backed by a ‘partisan, Republican coalition of national Republicans, anti-vaxxers, QAnon conspiracy theorists, anti-immigrant activists and Trump supporters.’
Find your local polling center
Below you will find 24 hour vote-by-mail ballot drop off locations. Mail-in-ballots must be returned and postmarked before September 14. All listed voting locations will be open until 8pm on September 14 for in-person voting. Locations open for early voting are noted.
Don’t see your town or neighborhood listed? You can view more voting locations in Santa Clara County through this link.
Cupertino
City Hall, 10300 Torre Ave
Quinlan Community Center, 10185 N Stelling Rd
Sam H. Lawson Middle School, 10401 Vista Dr*
De Anza College, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd
Los Altos
Los Altos Library, 13 S San Antonio Rd
Youth Center, 1 N San Antonio Rd*
Woodland Branch Library, 1975 Grant Rd
Los Altos Public Library, 100 Villa Ave
Los Gatos
Los Gatos Lodge, 50 Los Gatos Saratoga Rd*
Los Gatos Public Library, 100 Villa Ave
Los Gatos Town Hall, 110 E Main St
Palo Alto
Palo Alto City Hall, 250 Hamilton Ave
Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Rd
Riconada Branch, 1213 Newell Rd
Cubberley Community Center, 4000 Middlefield Rd*
Almaden Branch Library, 6445 Camden Ave
San Jose
Almaden Neighborhood Church, 19550 Mckean Rd
Alum Rock Union School District, 2930 Gay Ave
Berryessa Branch Library, 3355 Noble Ave*
Biblioteca Lationamericana Branch Library, 921 S 1st St
Brooktree Elementary School, 1781 Olivetree Dr
Cambrian Branch Library, 1780 Hillsdale Ave*
Cambrian School District, 4115 Jacksol Dr
Campbell Union High School District, 3235 Union Ave*
Captain Jason M Dahl Elementary School, 3200 Water St
Franklin-Mckinley School District, 645 Wool Creek Dr
Mountain View
Church of Scientology, 1066 Linda Vista Ave*
Computer History Museum, 1401 N Shoreline Blvd
Mountain View City Hall, 500 Castro St
Mountain View Fire Station, 229 N Whisman Rd
Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin St
Santa Clara
Briarwood Elementary School, 1930 Townsend Ave
Central Park Library, 2635 Homestead Rd*
Kona Kai Swim Club, 680 Hubbard Ave
Triton Museum of Art, 1505 Warburton Ave*
Santa Clara City Hall, 1500 Warburton Ave
Mission College, 3000 College Blvd
Santa Clara Traffic Court, 1095 Homestead Rd
*Open for early voting and same-day voter registration. Operation dates and times vary.