Oakland voters recalled a progressive mayor and a district attorney after a tumultuous period in which the city faced a large budget shortfall, among other problems.
The Athletics baseball franchise left Oakland, an In-N-Out franchise closed, the police chief was fired amid controversy, and Gov. Gavin Newsom had to send in state troopers to help with the public safety response.
Voters ousted both Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and District Attorney Pamela Price from office. Each had served in their respective positions for two years.
Thao
Thao, who was elected mayor in November 2022, must vacate the office as soon as recall election results are certified on Dec. 5 and the Oakland City Council proclaims a vacancy at its next meeting, which would take place on Dec. 17.
A special election for a new mayor must be held within 120 days. Nikki Fortunato Bas, City Council president, would serve as interim mayor—unless she is elected to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. She was trailing in that race as of Wednesday.
Thao, the city’s 51st mayor, was criticized early in her tenure for immediately firing popular Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong.
Voters, including local players such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, began to pressure Thao over problems facing the city, such as public safety, homelessness, and the budget. Sixty-one percent of voters ultimately chose to recall her.
In June, the FBI raided Thao’s home in addition to properties owned by the family running the business that won the city’s recycling contracts, Cal Waste Solutions.
Local news outlet Oaklandside reported in 2020 that the company had been investigated over its campaign contributions to Thao and other elected officials in Oakland.
Authorities remain mum on the investigation, while Thao maintains her innocence.
In her first public comments after federal authorities raided her home, Thao read from a prepared statement, maintaining her innocence and saying she has no plans to resign.
Thao, 38, said she is proud of her administration’s accomplishments.
“Thank you for choosing me to serve as your Mayor. As the first Hmong American woman to become the mayor of a major American City, it has been the honor of my lifetime,” she said last week in a statement posted on the social media site X. She committed to ensuring there would be a smooth transition.
Price
Price, the district attorney for Alameda County, which encompasses Oakland, was also ousted by voters in a recall election. However, her campaign is waiting for all votes to be counted before she would concede. As of Friday, 64 percent of voters favored her recall.
Before her election, Price was a civil rights attorney. She ran on a platform including offender rehabilitation and police accountability.
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors will likely appoint someone new from within the district attorney’s office until the board agrees on a process for replacing Price.
Newsom last week extended the California Highway Patrol’s law enforcement surge in Oakland to maintain public safety.
“We have made nearly 1,200 arrests and recovered 2,246 stolen vehicles,” the governor said in a statement. “We will continue this important work as local leadership transitions.”
Newsom had also sent state prosecutors and surveillance cameras to Oakland.
