In a historic move, voters in Alameda County have decided to recall District Attorney Pamela Price, marking the first time a DA has been successfully removed from office in the county’s history. Price, elected just two years ago on a platform focused on reducing incarceration rates and prosecuting police misconduct, is the second prominent Bay Area prosecutor to face a recall in the past two years. San Francisco’s Chesa Boudin was ousted in 2022, and now, as voter sentiment shifts toward more stringent crime policies, Price faces a similar fate.
The recall effort was championed by critics of Price’s progressive crime policies, including Bay Area Representative Eric Swalwell and San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, who argued that Price’s approach was too lenient and contributed to rising crime in the area. They cited concerns over public safety and a failure to properly address violent crime as key reasons for the recall. Conversely, Price and her supporters, such as state Senator Nancy Skinner and Representative Barbara Lee, decried the recall as politically motivated and undemocratic, with Price’s reforms aimed at long-needed criminal justice reform.
With her ouster, the Alameda Board of Supervisors will now appoint a temporary district attorney, who will serve until the next election in November 2026. This significant event signals a growing tension in California over the balance between criminal justice reform and public safety. As tough-on-crime policies continue to gain traction, it remains to be seen how this trend will influence future elections and the future of progressive law enforcement in the state.
