2003 California gubernatorial recall election

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The 2003 California gubernatorial recall election was a special statewide vote in which Californians removed Governor Gray Davis from office and elected Arnold Schwarzenegger as his successor.

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Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf United States state election
gubernatorial election
recall election
appliesToOffice Governor of California
ballotQuestion selection of a successor governor
whether to recall Governor Gray Davis
ballotStructure two-part ballot with recall question and replacement candidate list
campaignFinanceFeature heavy use of television advertising
country United States of America
surface form: United States
elected Arnold Schwarzenegger
electedOfficeholder Arnold Schwarzenegger
electionType special election
endDate 2003-10-07
followedBy 2006 California gubernatorial election
hasCause recall petition against Gray Davis
legalBasis Constitution of California
surface form: California Constitution
locatedIn California, United States
surface form: California
mediaNickname The Recall
notableAspect first successful recall of a California governor
second successful gubernatorial recall in U.S. history after 1921 North Dakota recall
notableCandidate Arianna Huffington
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Cruz Bustamante
Peter Camejo
Tom McClintock
numberOfCandidates 135
officeholderAfterElection Arnold Schwarzenegger
officeholderBeforeElection Gray Davis
organizedBy California, United States
surface form: State of California
oversightBody Secretary of State of California
surface form: California Secretary of State
partyOfElectedGovernor Republican Party
partyOfRecalledGovernor Democratic Party
popularVoteRunnerUp Cruz Bustamante
popularVoteShareOfRunnerUp approximately 31.5%
popularVoteShareOfWinner approximately 48.6%
popularVoteWinner Arnold Schwarzenegger
precededBy 2002 California gubernatorial election
recalledOfficeholder Gray Davis
recallNoVoteShare approximately 44.6%
recallOutcome yes
recallYesVoteShare approximately 55.4%
resultedIn removal of Gray Davis from office
significantIssue California budget crisis
electricity crisis aftermath
state budget deficit
startDate 2003-10-07
successorOfficeholder Arnold Schwarzenegger
voterTurnout approximately 61.2%

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Gray Davis recalledIn 2003 California gubernatorial recall election