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California Recall Election Given $215 Million Price Tag In Preliminary Finance Department Estimate

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The cost to hold the coming recall election of California Gov. Gavin Newsom will be $215 million, according to a preliminary estimate released by the state's Department of Finance to legislators on Thursday.

Officials say the cost is based on estimations from elections officials in all 58 of California's counties.

State finance officials cautioned that the $215 million estimate could possibly be higher, however, due to other expenses - like the Secretary of State's office expenses for overseeing and certifying the vote.

Dozens of Republican and independent candidates have already filed to run against Newsom in the recall election, including former Olympian and reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner. Other prominent challengers include former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and perennial GOP challenger John Cox.

In response to the Department of Finance's estimate, Faulconer equated the recall election cost as a "fraction" of the money that was lost by the state to unemployment fraud.

"He sent tens of billions of dollars to criminals, including violent felons and people out of state," Faulconer tweeted.

No prominent Democrats - unlike in the 2003 recall election where then-Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante ran - have announced a campaign against Newsom, but some liberal challengers have filed a statement of intent to run.

With the state legislature extending the mail-in voting measure that was implemented during the 2020 General Election due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all California voters will likely get a ballot in the mail for the recall election.

An exact date for the recall election has not been set, but it is expected to happen come fall.

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