EXPLAINER: If Newsom recall fails, no winning candidate

By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Forty-six candidates are on the ballot to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom in Tuesday’s recall election. But it won’t matter who comes in first unless a majority votes to remove Newsom. That’s why The Associated Press will only declare a winner among the 46 if the vote to recall him is successful. The ballot asks voters first whether they want to recall Newsom and then has them choose from the replacement candidates. Millions of votes in California don’t get counted until after Election Day. So if the the recall question is close it could take days to determine which side won. The AP will report the vote counts for replacement candidates in its news coverage.