California Proposition 8 (1911)
Encyclopedia
Proposition 8 of 1911 was an amendment of the Constitution of California that introduced, for the first time, the recall of public officials. This allows the governor, state senators and assemblymen, and other elected officials to be removed from office early by a public vote. It was approved by voters in a referendum
held as part of a special election on 10 October. On the same day voters approved two other major political reforms, Proposition 4
, which granted women the vote, and Proposition 7
, which introduced the initiative
and the optional referendum.
Proposition 8 added Article 23 of the Constitution of California. This began: "Every elective public officer of the State of California may be removed from office at any time by the electors entitled to vote for a successor of such incumbent". Article 23 has since been repealed, but today a modified version of the recall procedure is contained in Article 2.
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
held as part of a special election on 10 October. On the same day voters approved two other major political reforms, Proposition 4
California Proposition 4 (1911)
Proposition 4 of 1911 was an amendment of the Constitution of California that granted women the right to vote in the state for the first time. It was proposed by the California State Legislature and approved by voters in a referendum held as part of a special election on 10 October 1911...
, which granted women the vote, and Proposition 7
California Proposition 7 (1911)
Proposition 7 of 1911 ) was an amendment of the Constitution of California that introduced, for the first time, the initiative and the optional referendum...
, which introduced the initiative
Initiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
and the optional referendum.
Proposition 8 added Article 23 of the Constitution of California. This began: "Every elective public officer of the State of California may be removed from office at any time by the electors entitled to vote for a successor of such incumbent". Article 23 has since been repealed, but today a modified version of the recall procedure is contained in Article 2.