Governor Gary Davis was first elected in 1998, re-elected in 2002, and recalled Tuesday 7 October 2003. Mr. Davis served as Governor until Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn in on Monday 17 November 2003.

California Governor Gray Davis will face a recall election on 7 October 2003. In the first part of the ballot, voters will vote for or against the recall. In the second part, the voter may select a replacement candidate. If a majority (50% or more) of the voters vote "yes" on the first question, the replacement candidate who receives the most votes becomes Governor when the vote is certified (no later than 15 November 2003) and will serve the remainder of the current term (the chair is up for election 7 November 2006).

Brief Background Piece about
CALIFORNIA RECALL ELECTION PROVISIONS

Time Line:

• Wednesday 23 July 2003: 1,356,408 (in excess of 100%) of the necessary 897,158 petition signatures have been verified by Secretary of State Kevin Shelley. The recall has qualified for the ballot. Official reference: California Secretary of State - Recall FAQS / Signature Update.
• Thursday 24 July 2003: Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante has set Tuesday 7 October 2003 as the date for the gubernatorial recall election in California.
• Saturday 9 August 2003: Filing deadline for replacement candidates [filing requirements: 65 nomination signatures, a $3,500 filing fee (or 10,000 signatures in lieu of the fee)]. The last day for write-in candidates to file is 23 September.
• Monday 11 August 2003: Candidate Ballot order. The order that names appear on the ballot are rotated by Assembly district, starting with Assembly District 1. The order in District 1 is R, W, Q, O, J, M, V, A, H, B, S, G, Z, X, N, T, C, I, E, K, U, P, D, Y, F, L. In Assembly District 2, the candidate who appeared first in Assembly District 1 drops to the bottom and the other candidates move up one position and so on throughout the 80 districts.
• Ballot access update as of Wednesday 13 August 2003: The Secretary of State has issued a certified list of 135 candidates who have qualifed for the statewide Special Election. Official reference: Candidate Status Report.
• Monday 15 September 2003: A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issues an injunction against the California Gubernatorial Recall Election.
• Friday 19 September 2003: An en banc panel of 11 judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will convene on Monday 22 September 2003, to hear oral argument re: reviewing the decision of a three-judge Federal appellate panel which had resulted in the issuance of an injunction against the holding of the California Gubernatorial Recall Election on Tuesday 7 October 2003 as originally scheduled.
• Tuesday 23 September 2003: An en banc panel of 11 judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has reinstated the gubernatorial recall election.
• Tuesday 7 October 2003: California Gubernatorial Recall Election. Results: Shall GRAY DAVIS be recalled (removed) from the office of Governor? Yes: 55.4%, No: 44.6%; Candidate to succeed GRAY DAVIS as Governor if he is recalled: Arnold Schwarzenegger: 48.7%, Cruz M. Bustamante: 31.6%, Tom McClintock: 13.4%, Peter Miguel Camejo: 2.8%.
• Monday 17 November 2003: Governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger's sworn in as Governor.

Partisan sites (in alphabetical order): http://www.GreensAgainstTheRecall.com, http://www.recallgraydavis.com, http://www.RepublicansAgainstTheRecall.com, http://www.RescueCalifornia.com/, http://www.run-for-governor.org/, http://www.StopIssa.org, http://www.StopTheRecall.com.