Ballot measure · California · November 3, 2026

Proposition 5

Title as the state lists it: Changes Recall Election Process for Statewide Officers. Legislative Constitutional Amendment.1,2,3,4

Research draftReferred by the legislatureConstitutional amendment
How it got there
Referred by the legislature
Kind of measure
Constitutional amendment
To pass
A majority of the votes on it
Researched
October 27, 2026

Research draft. We gathered this from official sources on October 27, 2026: election offices, state laws and court records, each linked to its source. Separate reviewers checked a random sample of 48 facts from the ballot-measure research against the cited sources and found no errors. The rest hasn't been reviewed fact by fact yet, so check the linked source before relying on anything here.

§1What your vote means

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

A yes vote

A yes vote would amend the state constitution so recall ballots ask only whether to remove the official, with a recalled governor replaced by the lieutenant governor for the rest of the term or until a successor is elected, and other recalled offices filled later by special election or appointment under existing vacancy rules.3,4

A no vote

A no vote would keep the current recall process, in which the same ballot asks whether to remove the official and who should replace them, and the replacement candidate with the most votes takes office if the recall passes.3,4

§2How it got on the ballot

Referred by the legislature. The legislature voted to put it on the ballot.1,2,3,4

Constitutional amendment. It would change the state constitution.1,2,3,4

It is on California's list of statewide measures for November 3, 2026.1,2,5 One of these official sources itself calls the list certified or final. What we couldn't confirm about the list is in the notes on California's measures.

§3What it needs to pass

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

A majority of the votes on it. A constitutional amendment proposed by the Legislature passes if more voters vote yes than no on it.6,7 Where in the source: ACA 13, Legislative Counsel’s Digest