Both Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price recalled by voters

OAKLAND — Both Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price were recalled by voters in the November 5 election with a wide margin at 65% to 35%.

The recall movement against Thao and Price were both related to public safety. Thao has been critical of firing former Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong shortly after she took office in February 2023 and left Oakland without a police chief for almost a year. The violent crime in Oakland was dramatically up during the first year in her administration.

Oakland United to Recall Sheng Thao, a group which started the recall petition, complained that Thao's incompetence and dishonesty accelerated Oakland's decline, causing long standing businesses to close and generational families to leave in just a year.

Price was elected at the same time as Thao in November 2022 and as the first African American woman District Attorney in the history of Alameda County. Price was critical of being too lenient for defendants and overlooking the rights of crime victims.

Thao and Price faced recall in the November 5 election. Both are known for their progressive stances. The latest election results before press time show that both Thao and Price were recalled with a similar wide margin.

In the City of Oakland, 65.19% voters approved the recall and 34.81% voters disagreed. At the Alameda County level, 64.79 voters in the county agreed to recall Price and 35.21% disagreed.

Oakland Police Officers Association (OPOA) thanked voters for approving both recalls. "Voters recognized their progressive leftist policies directly harmed and impacted residents, neighborhoods, working and middle class families, and small businesses. We are gratified that the decision by voters was overwhelmingly in favor of the recalls," OPOA President Huy Nguyen wrote in a statement.

"This mandate demonstrates residents value public safety over failed anti-police and anti-public safety policies. It sends a national message that the public strongly support the police and safety," wrote Nguyen. “However, tremendous damage has been done by both Thao and Price. There will not be a quick recovery and the road ahead will be challenging. Thao and the city council majority misspent taxpayer money and kicked judgement day down the road."

"Oakland will likely be bankrupt. Crime will still be a top issue for the foreseeable future. The next few years will be excruciatingly difficult because of Price and Thao’s reckless and purposeful destruction of victims rights and defunding of police. It will take time to overcome the disastrous two years of arrogance and destruction by Price and Thao," Nguyen added. “The OPOA will continue to stand with the residents and businesses of Oakland to help get the city back on track. We are committed to our jobs to protect and serve the public.”

Save Alameda For Everyone (SAFE), which organized the recall Price campaign, called the successful recall of Price as a critical step toward restoring accountability, justice and victim advocacy in Alameda County.

"Today, Alameda County sent a clear message that justice, integrity, and public safety matter. We thank everyone who stood with us to make this historic recall possible. Our communities deserve leaders who stand by victims, uphold the law, and restore faith in our justice system," said Carl Chan, Co-Principal Officer of SAFE campaign.

“This recall was about ensuring that victims and their families are respected, heard, and supported. DA Price’s policies disregarded the needs of those who have already suffered enough. Today, we stand united in restoring a justice system that serves everyone, especially those most affected by crime,” said Brenda Grisham, Co-Principal Officer of SAFE.

Price has not made public comments on the recall election results. Thao conceded defeat and issued a statement after more election results were released.

"Oaklanders, 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," wrote Thao.

"It was my goal to make Oakland safer, cleaner, and more vibrant. And I am proud of what we accomplished together. We brought crime down dramatically across the board with a historic 35% reduction in homicides. For the first time in over a decade, Oakland went over a month without a single murder. Our work literally saved lives," Thao said.

For the seat of Thao, once the election results are certified on December 5, the Oakland City Council would declare a vacancy and the Council President will serve as interim mayor until a new mayor is elected. A special election for a new mayor will be held within 120 days.

The interim Alameda County District Attorney who takes over Price will serve a longer time. Once the election results are certified, Price has to leave the office. The County Board of Supervisors will appoint an interim District Attorney to serve until 2026 when a new District Attorney is elected by voters.