3
costs include the costs of obtaining information, processing it, and deciding what to do
and the direct costs of registering and going to the polls” (Aldrich 1993, 248). All
together these might entail some prorated portion of paying for a newspaper subscription
or cable bill, along with some gasoline or a public transportation fare, as well as the time
it takes to accomplish the tasks of voting. On average, this may amount to something no
less than $1 but for most, no more than $10.
That investment is on par with or significantly cheaper than the $9 one might pay
for a ticket to a Schwarzenegger movie and that lasts only about two hours. By those
standards it was much cheaper for many Californians to pay the costs of voting and write
the ending to their own Schwarzenegger script of the poor Austrian farm boy, turned Mr.
Universe, then movie star and Kennedy clan member who became governor of a state
with the world’s 6
th
largest economy (equivalent thereof). And this story is slated to last
at least through 2006 – that is more than 26,000 hours longer than the average
Schwarzenegger movie.
THE BACK-STORY
“Backstabbing politicians, ambitious millionaires, outspoken movie stars and
pornographers – California’s recall theatrics already put many Hollywood scripts to
shame.” – Neal Conan (
2003
).
As a special election – both literally and figuratively – the recall of Gray Davis
and the choice of his replacement requires a back-story discussion. Any understanding of
the extraordinary nature of the turnout for this contest requires a comprehension of what
the California electorate experienced in the late summer and autumn of 2003.
Convention