Voters just did not like what the officials were doing. But there’s already a way for the people to unseat politicians whose policy choices they do not like—during normal elections, ones that do not cost the city millions of dollars to stage, at which more of their neighbors will show up, and that do not increase the chance of a weird political spoiler drummed up by political cynics hoping for low turnout. Recalls are a cornerstone of California’s participatory democracy and a voter check on the executive. But they are also a way that smallish numbers of highly motivated partisans tax the resources and suffocate the desires of the broader, quieter, more diverse, and less-moneyed public.

If more recalls end up succeeding across the country, fueling more recall efforts, the overall effect would be troubling. Already, American voters vote for too many positions, too often, in elections that are too hard to vote in and are held at inconvenient times. The policy solutions are straightforward: Limit recalls, have fewer issues and officials on the ballot, move to nonpartisan primaries and ranked-choice voting, push for independent redistricting, and hold local elections at the same time as presidential elections and the midterms. Make it easy to vote. And make sure officials come in with the support of a broad group of people, and protect them from getting ousted by a small, motivated minority. A little less democracy might be good for democracy, after all.