Bay Area voters will decide on Nov. 5 if Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price should be recalled from office and replaced.
Supporters of the mayor say a successful recall risks plunging the city into political chaos and setting the city back.
The campaign to recall Thao is critical of the mayor’s decision to fire former Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong and what they say is a “crisis” of crime, including “open-air drug markets and chop shops” in the city.
“Lives have been lost, property destroyed, businesses have shut down, and fear and collective trauma are daily occurrences for Oaklanders,” the campaign website reads.
Supporters also suggest that officials are partly responsible for the loss of businesses, including restaurants, hotels, and pharmacies, in the past year.
Groups supporting the mayor include the Alameda County Democratic Party, some labor unions, and the Local 55 chapter of the International Association of Firefighters, among others.
A campaign supporting the mayor, Oaklanders Defending Democracy, stated that a successful recall would be a jolt to the city.
“The recall effort against Mayor Sheng Thao not only threatens Oakland’s progress but risks plunging the city into political chaos at a critical time,” the group wrote on its website.
If Thao is recalled, the city council president will take her place until a special election is held, which must occur within 120 days. The mayor’s seat would again be on the ballot in 2026 as part of the regularly scheduled election process.
Her supporters said the process would create a “leadership vacuum” that could “create instability” and jeopardize the city’s “ability to address critical issues effectively.”
“This recall threatens to undo the strides we’ve made, jeopardizing the city’s future at a time when stable, consistent leadership is more important than ever,” the campaign wrote. “Oaklanders deserve consistent leadership that can build on the work already in motion, not political turmoil that sets the city back.”
Alameda County’s district attorney has faced criticism from other elected officials and some members of the public after violent crime and vehicle thefts spiked last year.
Price’s lack of action in prosecuting some cases and her decision not to use state resources led to pushback from California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
After the district attorney failed to use three state prosecutors offered by the governor to help the county with criminal cases, Newsom expressed frustration with a “lack of engagement” and pulled the resources in July.
“It was clear to me that there wasn’t a sincere commitment to follow through on the offer,” Newsom said during a press conference at the time in response to a question from The Epoch Times.
Save Alameda for Everyone—better known as SAFE—the campaign to recall Price, submitted about 123,000 signatures in March to put the matter on the ballot.
If the recall is approved by voters, the county’s board of supervisors will appoint a new district attorney in January 2025 or February 2025. Price is not eligible for consideration.
The seat will be back on the ballot in 2026.
Price said her recall could destabilize the county.
“Are we going to let me do my job, or are we going to plunge the system into chaos?” Price said. “If this recall is successful ... this community will have no voice and no vote.”
She acknowledged that challenges exist for all involved in the legal system but said she is working on resolving complex issues.
Supporters said the district attorney—who has a background in civil rights—deserves to keep her job because she prioritizes the disadvantaged.
The Epoch Times reached out to Thao and Price for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
