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California Holds Lottery To Determine Order Of Recall Candidates On Ballot

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — California state election officials held a lottery on Monday to determine the order candidates will be listed on the ballot for September's recall election.

Instead of by alphabetical order, the candidates will be listed in the following order (using the first letter of their last name): X, K, T, V, F, N, R, G, J, Y, Z, L, M, B, A, Q, H, D, I, E, P, C, W, S, O, U.

The ballot will feature two parts, the first being a simple yes/no question of whether Gov. Gavin Newsom should be recalled. If the recall passes by simple majority, then people will be able to vote the dozens of candidates who have filed to run.

The field includes 21 Republicans and numerous independents. While some people who share Newsom's political party are in the mix, no Democrat with either a statewide or notable local office is in the running.

GOP challengers include reality star Caitlyn Jenner, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, one-time California Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox, and former US House Rep. Doug Ose.

Conservative talk show host Larry Elder also announced he was running, but was not among the list of candidates released by the Secretary of State over the weekend. Elder said he was denied because of an issue with his tax returns - and that he would be suing to get his name added.

Faulconer is also fighting the Secretary of State's office over whether he can be listed as "Retired San Diego Mayor."

While the list of candidates appears expansive, analysts say most lack the name recognition to prove a threat to Newsom.

"It's a small list, there are no big-name Democrats and there are no big-name Republicans," said Jessica Levinson, a political analyst with Loyola Marymount University. "I think it allows him to say look it's me versus the crazy train."

However, experts are saying that a lot could happen until the election on Sept. 14 that could possibly shake up the race.

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