Early results indicate the recall of Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price and Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao will succeed. Price’s removal would be a blow to progressive, lenient sentencing in the normally progressive Bay Area, whereas Thao’s recall is dually a response to the perceived state of Oakland, as well as legal concerns connected to incidents the FBI raid of the Mayor’s home. Price denies that the raid was focused on her.
According to SFGate, roughly two-thirds of voters support the recall efforts, with 100% of precincts reporting, marking a dramatic shift in the region’s political landscape.
DA Pamela Price, who became the first African American woman to serve as the county’s top prosecutor, has faced criticism for her progressive policies, which some voters feel have contributed to rising crime rates. The recall campaign, reportedly spending around $2.6 million and backed by several East Bay police officers’ unions, cited her approach to criminal charges as too lenient. As reported by ABC7 News, Price’s opponents blamed her for increases in crime — making her the first district attorney in the county’s history to face a recall.
Meanwhile, Mayor Thao is dealing with her own set of challenges. Despite recent data from the Oakland Police Department showing a 33% drop in homicides and an overall crime rate drop of 37% from the previous year, recall proponents have focused on Oakland’s budget deficit, an FBI raid on Thao’s property, and her stance on crime as the basis for her removal. If the recall stands, the president of the Oakland City Council will take over as interim mayor until a special election can be held.
In the wake of the recall, the Oakland Police Officers’ Association has praised the decision as a step toward better fiscal leadership and support for police. “We are thankful to the voters of Oakland for recalling Sheng Thao and to Alameda County, for recalling Pamela Price,” said Huy Nguyen, OPOA President, in a statement obtained by the Oakland Police Officers’ Association. Noting the difficult road ahead, the OPOA emphasized its commitment to helping the city recover from what they described as the “reckless and purposeful destruction of victims rights and defunding of police.”
With these political upheavals, the stage is now set for new leadership in Oakland and Alameda County. The outcomes are interpreted as a mandate by voters who prioritize public safety and stable fiscal management, signaling a potential shift away from the progressive policies that have shaped the region’s approach to criminal justice and city governance in recent years.
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