So Far, Few Commit to Recall Ballot

But as of Tuesday, only 15 people had filed the required documents with county clerks' offices and paid the necessary fees.

So while the state's political leaders are consumed by the decisions of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, county registrars are holding their breath until 5 p.m. Saturday, the deadline for would-be candidates to file their paperwork. It is these hundreds of lesser-knowns who will determine the size of the ballot, and perhaps the shape of the race.

Even if a fraction of the 482 people who pulled papers decide to run, the potential confusion -- and the friends and family that fringe candidates bring to the voting booth -- might make the difference in a tight recall race. Voters will be asked to decide whether Davis should remain governor, and who should replace him if he is recalled.

A Times survey of all 58 county clerks' offices suggests that while the ballot will ultimately contain dozens of names, there will not be -- contrary to popular belief -- a gubernatorial candidate for every star you can see from the top of Mt. Whitney.

One reason is the brief window -- 17 days -- for jumping into the race, which is unique to this recall election. Another factor is procrastination; in almost every election, there is a crescendo of late entrants. For other candidates, the delay may be strategic; Schwarzenegger and former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan are taking their time figuring out which one will run.

But a key reason for the hesitancy of many potential candidates may be the little-known process of getting on the ballot. In the face of that procedure, many of the interested people seem to be deciding that gubernatorial politics is a summer fling, not a romance that will last through fall.

"This is Humboldt County, and the salmon are running," said Lindsey McWilliams, the county election manager, explaining the dilemma of Darin Price of McKinleyville -- the only person in her domain to take out papers. "Not only does he have an uphill battle to slog through to make it by Saturday, but he said he wanted to go fishing, too."

The process of getting in has been described as simple -- get 65 signatures and pay $3,500. But in fact, neither figure is a hard and fast requirement.