A PANEL of constitutional experts will investigate introducing California-style recall elections in NSW to give voters a ''safety valve'' to dump unpopular or corrupt governments.

The Premier, Barry O'Farrell, yesterday announced he had appointed David Jackson QC, constitutional expert George Williams and politics academic Elaine Thompson to report on the issues around introducing recall provisions.

Following in Arnie's footsteps ... Barry O'Farrell proposes examining the recall election option that helped Arnold Schwarzenegger become governor in 2003. Credit:Reuters/Rod Homer

The Premier said 18 US states had a recall mechanism, including California, which saw Arnold Schwarzenegger become governor in 2003 as a result of a recall election, as well as the Canadian province of British Columbia.

Mr O'Farrell proposed examining recall elections last year as voter anger with the former scandal-plagued Labor government intensified but there was no mechanism to force an early general election.