Threshold reached for recall vote against governor of California

Mr Heatlie spearheaded the signature collection effort that began last June and then picked up momentum in the autumn as frustration grew over Mr Newsom’s coronavirus-related actions.

People walk and skateboard on a beach path as evening winds kick up sand in Long Beach, California (Ashley Landis/AP)

Organisers of the recall effort against California governor Gavin Newsom collected enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot, election officials in the US state said, likely triggering just the second such election in state history.

“The people of California have done what the politicians thought would be impossible,” said Orrin Heatlie, the retired county sheriff’s sergeant who launched the recall effort last year.