The California Secretary of State has made it official. The Recall Gavin Newsom effort has reached 1.6 million valid signatures. More than the requisite number of signatures required to trigger a Recall election.

NEW: It’s official. With over 1.6 million verified signatures collected, the California Secretary of State announces the recall effort of Governor Newsom has qualified to go to go on the ballot later this year.

— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) April 26, 2021

It’s official. The Secretary of State has verified enough signatures to trigger an election for the removal of Gavin Newsom as Governor.

— Kevin Kiley (@KevinKileyCA) April 26, 2021

This is a HUGE victory for the Recall organizers and supporters. However, champagne corks are not yet popping. The rules call for a 30-day period of “buyer’s remorse,” or more time to game the system—whichever term you’re comfortable with.

From the Secretary of State’s website:

As of April 26, 2021, the requisite number of valid signatures has been reported to our office to initiate the recall of Governor Gavin Newsom. However, county elections officials must continue to verify the validity of any remaining signatures and must report the final signature verification on April 29, 2021.

The next phase of the recall process is the 30-business day period in which voters may request county elections officials to remove their names from recall petitions. County elections officials must report any withdrawn signatures to the Secretary of State within ten business days of the end of the signature withdrawal period. The Secretary of State must then determine if the petition still has the requisite number of valid signatures to initiate a recall election.

If it is determined that that there is not the requisite number of valid signatures, the recall effort would fail. However, if it is determined that there is still the requisite number of valid signatures to initiate a recall election, the Secretary of State must promptly notify the Department of Finance of the results. (Elec. Code, § 11108(c) and (d))

From financial costs, to the Legislative Budget Committee, to the final certification, to the Lieutenant Governor actually setting a date for election will take us into late August and even early September. So, there is still lots of room for more dirty tricks.

But the fact that Democrats have tried and failed at many dirty tricks to stop the Recall from moving toward official qualification means there are more powerful forces at work than a governor and a Democrat supermajority addicted to power at all costs. As Tom Del Beccaro said about the Recall, the goal is not just to get to the finish, but “run through the tape”.

We have now run through.

As the Rescue California 2021’s Anne Dunsmore said earlier this year,

“We are the focus of resistance to Big Government in the Country right now. If we succeed here, we let the entire country know it’s possible to hold a governor accountable.”

The Recall organizers and supporters have come this far, and plans are in the works to ensure the validation holds and a Recall election is held.

Despite more chutes and ladders, there is a confidence and enthusiasm that it will be done.

It’s on! https://t.co/uTNr9yIRqk

— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) April 26, 2021

So proud of Californians for getting enough signatures to trigger the recall against Newsom! We really did it!

This is just the start, and the real hard work starts now, but many said we would never even get to this point!

Lets finish strong and kick the tyrant out of office!

— Cali-Conservative (@CaliConserv1) April 26, 2021