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On November 6, 2020, a California trial court issued an injunction, permitting the proponents of a gubernatorial recall petition to have four more months to complete their petition. Heatlie v Padilla, Sacramento County Superior Court, 34-2020-800003499.
Without the injunction, the petition would have been due on November 17, 2020. Now it is due March 17, 2021. The petition needs 1,495,709 valid signatures. On December 19, proponents said they have approximately 800,000 signatures.
The basis for the ruling is the covid-19 health crisis. Earlier in 2020, California state trial courts had granted more time for two statewide initiatives. However, the federal and state courts in California denied any similar relief to two independent presidential candidates and the Common Sense Party. The two independent candidates were Don Blankenship of the Constitution Party, and Joseph Kishore of the Socialist Equality Party. But, in fairness to the courts, the initiative and recall petition proponents had demonstrated that they might have succeeded without the health crisis, a showing that was not made by the independent candidates nor the Common Sense Party. Also, the Common Sense Party’s efforts (a registration drive) will not be wasted just because they failed to qualify in 2020. Unlike a petition drive, a registration drive is cumulative and the work done in 2020 for the Common Sense Party might help them qualify for the 2022 election. Thanks to Eric Garris for this news.