Recall madness.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Good news: California's Oct. 7 gubernatorial recall election will feature fewer than 200 candidates. That's down from the 600 people who had taken out filing papers. Only about 195 candidates actually filed their paperwork and paid their fees, and not all of them may be certified for the Oct. 7 ballot. But even 200 candidates would be about 195 too many.

A ridiculously crowded slate would be a good argument against Gov. Gray Davis' recall, but 54 percent of voters said in the latest poll that they want to kick the governor out. Only 35 percent opposed the recall. If Davis is removed, voters would then be asked to choose a replacement from among the candidates certified for the ballot.

Oregon's recall law is, fortunately, much different than California's. Here, if a governor were to be recalled, the secretary of state - who is first in the line of succession - would serve out the remainder of the recalled governor's term. But in California, madness will prevail as voters will face the recall and replacement decisions in the same election.

By last Saturday's filing deadline, the list of candidates included actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon and former major league baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth on the Republican side; Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante and porn publisher Larry Flynt on the Democratic side; and ex-child actor Gary Coleman, comedian Leo Gallagher, political commentator Arianna Huffington and medical marijuana activist B.E. Smith under the independent banner. The Green Party also has a candidate in the race - Peter Camejo, who unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2002.

There was some early jockeying among Democrats over whether to field candidates in the election. On one side were those Democrats who said Davis would have a better chance at defeating the recall if there were no prominent Democrat among the potential successors. Others said the Democrats had to field at least one credible candidate to give the party a chance to hold on to the governorship should Davis be ousted. In the end, Bustamante was the only credible Democrat in the race.

Between now and Oct. 7, Californians - with the rest of the country looking on in morbid fascination - will witness a campaign to end all campaigns. It will be a carnival-like mixture of hoopla, celebrity watching, accusations, strategizing and lots and lots of money. It will seem like something scripted for a reality TV show. And the importance of California's governorship will be drowned in the sideshow.