Community

More than 90% of Californians Voted by Mail in Governor Recall Election

About 91% of all votes cast in the recall election were submitted via the mail-in option. Voting by mail in the United States started in the late 1800s. But in a first-in-the-nation execution, California mailed ballots to every registered voter in the state, a move voting rights advocates praised for setting new standards for expanding enfranchisement.

Published

5 years ago

November 9, 2021

Oakland Post

The results for the question on the ballot asking whether Gov. Gavin Newsom should be recalled were: 4,894,473 yes votes and 7,944,092 nos.

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber has certified the votes from the Sept. 14, 2021, California Gubernatorial Recall Election. The election marked the second time since 1913 that a recall petition made it to the polls in California.

The results for the question on the ballot asking whether Gov. Gavin Newsom should be recalled were: 4,894,473 yes votes and 7,944,092 nos.

California election law requires results for each replacement candidate to be tabulated and recorded. They can be found here.

The leading replacement candidate was Larry Elder who garnered 3,563,867 votes. His tally counted for 48.4% of all votes for replacement candidates. Almost 5.5 million voters left their response blank for who they believed the replacement candidate should be.

“Despite the ongoing uncertainties of the pandemic, I am encouraged that millions of Californians were still committed to participating in the California Gubernatorial Recall Election – nearly 3.5 million more than participated in the 2003 recall election,” Weber said after announcing the certification of the vote. “As I’ve said before, democracy matters to Californians and giving them the option to participate early by mail, at secure drop-off locations or safely in person has clearly reinforced their commitment to making their voices heard.”

In total, there were 22,057,154 registered voters (as of August 30, 2021), a state record for California. A total of 12,892,578 votes were cast — 3,479,084 more votes than were cast in the last statewide gubernatorial recall election in 2003.

The California Secretary of State’s office made a substantial effort to conduct the election as smoothly and effectively as possible considering the unprecedented challenges pandemic safety restrictions presented. An online system for tracking mail-in ballots in real time was just one of a number of innovations implemented to give voters confidence that their voices would be heard.

“I also want to commend the state’s elections officials and poll workers for stepping up to ensure the recall ran so smoothly,” Webber said. “The short timeline and the logistics of providing voter information, ensuring access to the election, securing the ballots and protecting the health and safety of voters were a challenging endeavor. Their effectiveness at delivering an accessible, fair and secure election under these conditions deserves our respect. I am proud to serve with them in the administration of our democracy.”

The only successful California gubernatorial recall election was held in 2003 when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger replaced Gov. Gray Davis after winning 48.6 % of the vote.

Every California governor since 1960 has faced some form of a recall attempt. Newsom’s detractors cited his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as the basis for this most recent attempt.

Since surviving the recall, Newsom has signed 92% of the bills that have come to his desk into law. Among notable measures are sentencing reform for convicts and increasing commercial real estate taxes to fund affordable housing initiatives and fight homelessness.

“Traditionally, we have governors who have been more centrist than Newsom,” said Bill Whalen, a policy fellow at the Hoover Institution, in an interview with Newsweek. The Hoover Institution is a conservative think tank at Stanford University in Palo Alto. “With the recall now gone, this is a governor who is really not threatened in any way.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

City Report Calls for End of ‘Historic, Racially Exclusive Membership’ of Construction Unions

Don't Miss

Watershed Stewardship Pilot Project Workshop in Marin City

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

‘Hire Oakland’ Job Fair Draws 2,000, Connecting

Oakland’s Hire Oakland job fair, hosted by Mayor Barbara Lee’s office, connected over 2,000 job seekers with employers, highlighting a strong demand for quality jobs and career pathways in the city.

Published

2 minutes ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Left to right: Yawo Tekpa, OPIC Manager, One Stop Operator; Sofia Navarro, Deputy City Administrator; and Ray Lankford, CEO of the Oakland Private Industry Council. Photo by Jonathan Fitness Jones.

Residents to Immediate Job Opportunities

By Post Staff

The Office of Mayor Barbara Lee, in partnership with the City of Oakland and regional employers, hosted a successful Hire Oakland job fair this week at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, bringing together job seekers and employers for a day focused on opportunity, connection, and economic mobility.

With more than 2,000 RSVPs, the event on Wednesday reflected strong demand across Oakland for access to quality jobs and career pathways. Attendees participated in on-site recruitment, application support, and hands-on workshops designed to help job seekers navigate hiring processes and prepare for interviews.

Over the course of the day, employers and community partners engaged directly with residents in a welcoming, high-energy environment centered on opportunity and hope. Participating employers included EBMUD, Samuel Merritt University, the City of Oakland, BART, PG&E, AC Transit, East Bay Regional Parks District, Southwest Airlines, FedEx, and many others offering immediate openings and career pathways across sectors.

Workforce development partners Oakland Private Industry Council (OPIC) and Lao Family Community Development provided connections to résumé support, interview coaching, and individualized job search assistance throughout the event.

The strong turnout underscores a clear reality: Oakland residents are eager for pathways into meaningful work, and sustained investment in youth and workforce programs is essential.

That is why Mayor Lee has prioritized relaunching the Oakland Police Cadet Program and the Mayor’s Youth Employment and Education Program (MYEEP)—ensuring young people have early access to paid work experience, mentorship, and long-term career pathways, according to a City press statement.

“The turnout shows what we already know—Oaklanders are ready to work, ready to grow, and ready to build their futures here at home,” said Lee. “When we connect people directly to employers and invest in young people early, we are not just filling jobs—we are changing lives and strengthening our city’s future.”

The Hire Oakland job fair is part of the City’s broader effort to strengthen workforce pipelines, expand access to good-paying jobs, and ensure Oakland residents are first in line for local opportunity.

About Hire OaklandHire Oakland is a citywide workforce initiative led by the Office of Mayor Barbara Lee in partnership with City departments, workforce development organizations, and regional employers. The program connects Oakland job seekers to real-time hiring opportunities, training resources, and career pathways.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Cassie ‘Mama C’ Lopez Honored as Oakland’s Mother of the Year

Cassandra “Mama C” Lopez, a dedicated parent, teacher, and activist, was honored as Oakland’s Mother of the Year for her unwavering commitment to community and justice.

Published

12 minutes ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Cassandra Lopez, known as “Mama C,” is surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors at Oakland’s annual Mother of Year celebration at the Morcom Rose Garden, Saturday, May 9. Photo by Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon.

By Ken Epstein

The City of Oakland recognized Cassandra, “Mama C,” Lopez – parent, teacher, community activist, and justice warrior – as Oakland’s Mother of the Year in a celebration at Oakland’s Morcom Rose Garden on Mother’s Day weekend.

Long recognized as a leader in her community, she was nominated by District 3 City Councilmember Carroll Fife to receive the city’s 73rd annual Mother of the Year award.

Speaking at the crowded ceremony on Saturday, May 9, where Mama C received roses and a proclamation from Mayor Barbara Lee, Fife said she felt honored to nominate Lopez, an “amazing woman – a hell-raising humanitarian, for the energy, the passion, but most of all the love for community” that makes her one of those “exceptional women whose lives, exemplify love, sacrifice, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the family and community they serve.”

Cassie Lopez was born in 1945 to Pauline and Calvin Weaver, a family that had left Florida and Jim Crow for the east side of Detroit. From an early age, she was instilled with a sense of Black awareness, love, and the importance of community in the face of hardships, including poverty, freezing winters, low pay, and slum landlords.

Fifty-five years ago, she married Juan Lopez. The couple has three children and has lived for decades in a neighborhood on the edge of downtown Oakland near Mosswood Park.

Said her husband, Juan, “Mama C has been a selfless mother of our own children, and she also became a teacher. Our home became a second home for many young people. For some, it was refuge from difficult home situations, and for others, a safe place to hang out.

“Throughout the years, Mama C was sometimes a foot soldier and other times a leader, immersed in some of the biggest national and citywide struggles of the day,” Juan said. “But less known to many is the role she played day in and day out where the rubber hits the road.

“For 35 years, she has shepherded the Mosswood Park and Recreation Center – through its good and bad times. If the Center exists (and thrives) today, it has to do with Mama C, working alongside neighbors, center directors, community advisory council, and when necessary, community coalitions, city officials, the religious community, and the labor movement.”

Said Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon, “I am an old friend of my sister here. We met in 1970 in the sugarcane fields of Cuba, where we were helping the Cuban government harvest their sugar. We have been friends ever since. She has always been someone who does not give in to despair.”

David Johnson, an educator in Oakland, was one of the neighborhood children who grew up in the community created by Mama C and her family

“Cassandra Lopez is a beacon of light, full of compassion. She has dedicated her life to quality education to the poor and working class,” serving for 40 years as a Spanish teacher in Oakland schools, he said.

“She has dedicated her life to speak truth to power, justice to the silent, and as a member of the community, she advocates for programs and resources,” he said.

In her remarks, Mama C recognized the influence and power of all mothers. “Together, we all stand on the backs of our mothers. Mothers play a special role in society. We give when we have almost nothing left to give. We hurt when some people don’t see the hurt and the pain that our families endure. But we keep on moving forward.”

Looking at what African Americans, other people of color and working people face in the country today, she said, “We are deserving of the very best because our hands, our bodies produce the wealth of world, and yet we get the least. We see our country wholesale being stolen away from us, and we are told to grin and bear it. We’re not bearing it; we’re fighting against it.”

Continuing, she said, “There’s enough wealth in this world that there should be no hunger in the world. There should be nobody without a decent place to live. Nobody should be sleeping on the street. Teachers should get the freedom to be creative and tell the stories that exist in this nation that make us strong and great.

“We have a lot to do. We cannot despair. We cannot run. People are learning, and together, collectively, we can do it.”