What will surely be one of the most watched political contests in the country has just started next door. Wisconsin's Republican governor, Scott Walker, is facing a historic recall after more than a year of high-profile protests. So what happens next? Talking Points Memo explains the process, while the Los Angeles Times explores what this means for the presidential race and the larger political climate.

Democrats and union leaders behind the effort to oust Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker say they've collected 50,000 signatures in 48 hours. Recall organizers need to average 9,000 signatures a day to get the 540,000 needed to force a recall election of Walker.

As many as 30,000 people showed up at a rally Saturday as part of the effort to recall Wisconsin governor Scott Walker. Organizers say they have 105,000 signatures on the recall petition. They need 540,000.

The Government Accountability Board said Friday that the recall election of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and the primary election that accompanied it cost Wisconsin taxpayers $13.5 million. Some of the costs associated with the recall election -- in which Walker retained his post --- included payment of poll workers, staff salaries, printing ballots and programming election equipment.

Those who want to recall the Republican governor will need more than a half-million signatures to trigger a recall vote. The chairman of the state's Democratic Party says he's confident they can find the support.

Critics who want the governor out have a lot of work ahead of them. They'll need to gather, on average, about 12,000 signatures a day from now until January to trigger a recall.

Volunteers for Republican Governor Scott Walker and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett were out in force and media ads are making their final pleas in the Wisconsin recall election. Voters head to the polls Tuesday. Gov. Walker told volunteers in Hudson he’s depending on them to move the state forward. Democratic challenger Barrett told a crowd in Superior Walker has sparked an ideological civil war that Barrett wants to end.

That's more than half of what is needed to force a recall election in just 12 days. Recall efforts must collect about 540,000 signatures by January.