LOS ANGELES, 6 October 2003 — Californians will vote tomorrow on whether to make superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger their next governor, after a short but dramatic campaign that ended with an avalanche of explosive charges against him.

The film star is a favorite among a motley list of 135 candidates vying to replace embattled Democratic Governor Gray Davis if voters oust him in the historic Oct. 7 recall election.

At the start of the rollercoaster campaign in July, “wacky” California become the butt of jokes when eccentric candidates ranging from porn mogul Larry Flynt to X-rated movie star Mary Carey to fallen child star Gary Coleman threw their hats into the electoral circus.

But the race has come down to a more conventional and high-stakes finale, pitting the Republican movie star against the unpopular governor, who risks losing his job just one year into his second four-year term.

Record numbers of the richest and most populous US state’s 15 million voters are expected to cast ballots in the first special election aimed at sacking a US governor in 82 years.

Three opinion polls this week said that between 56 and 63 percent of voters would vote “yes” on the first question on the ballot — whether to oust Davis. And after a rollercoaster campaign that attracted worldwide attention, Schwarzenegger emerged as the favorite to replace Davis, blamed by foes for the state’s financial woes, if he is ousted.

“He appeared in the only debate of his campaign and apparently performed well enough to convince most undecided voters that he has the strength of character needed to run the state,” said political pundit Elizabeth Garrett.

The polls showed that between 36 to 40 percent of voters would select the actor to replace Davis over his nearest rival, Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, who won between 25 and 32 percent. The predictions of victory for the actor came despite weeks of jibs over his refusal or perceived inability to reveal specifics of his economic rescue plan for the state.

And in the final strait of the bitterly-fought race, the brawny actor’s drive to roll into the governor’s mansion hit political potholes in the form of allegations that he “groped” and “humiliated” at least 11 women and that he once said he admired Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

With some experts predicting Schwarzenegger could emerge from the firestorm intact, like one of his movie characters, the possibility that the “Gover-nator” could become the second movie star to lead California after ex-President Ronald Reagan looms large. If at least 51 percent of voters choose to strip Davis of power, he would be the first US governor to face such a fate since North Dakota governor Lynn Frazier in 1921.

But with the same outdated and inaccurate voting machines that caused electoral chaos in Florida in the 2000 presidential polls still in use in six California counties, it was unclear when the final results would be announced.

California’s secretary of state has until Nov. 15 to certify the election and — if necessary — order Davis to clear his belongings from the gubernatorial mansion.