Officials in California have declared an unprecedented special election on whether to unseat the Governor Gray Davis after certifying that a Republican-led petition drive had secured the support of enough voters.
The recall vote, which could take place as early as September 23rd, is the first such effort to reach a ballot in California since voters approved a 1911 constitutional amendment cleared the way for special elections.
Mr Davis, a Democrat once seen as a presidential hopeful, vowed to fight to keep his job despite historically low approval ratings.
In Sacramento, California's Secretary of State Kevin Shelley, who serves as the state's chief elections officer, said he had certified 1,356,408 signatures, far more than the 897,158 voter signatures needed to put a recall vote on the ballot. He reported receiving a total of 1,651,191 signatures.
"The recall is deemed to immediately qualify," he told an evening new conference. "This is the first statewide special election in California's history. All of us are aware that we are making history," he said.
There have been 31 previous failed attempts to force a recall vote since 1911 in California, including three against former governor and future President Ronald Reagan. Only one US governor has been recalled, in North Dakota in 1921.
Re-elected to a second term in November, Mr Davis's popularity has sunk to new lows as the state struggles with a record budget deficit of $38 billion and an economy that has lagged the rest of the nation.
With the Republican-led recall vote certified, state officials must set an election within 60 to 80 days.