Another politically progressive prosecutor in the San Francisco Bay Area faces recall election

OAKLAND, California — Voters in the San Francisco Bay Area will weigh in on the recall of another progressive district attorney who championed offender rehabilitation and police accountability and whose critics say it undermines public safety.

Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price is facing a recall election just two years after she was elected in November 2022, just months after San Francisco voters ousted Chesa Boudin from the top prosecutor’s job.

Like Price, Boudin was also a political newcomer during his first term as district attorney whose critics collected enough signatures to put the issue before voters.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday set the recall election for Nov. 5, to coincide with the general election.

Before coming to power, Price was a civil rights attorney who advocated for women, victims of domestic violence and youth entangled in the criminal justice system.

Her opponents say she has encouraged criminals at a time when Oakland, the county’s most populous city, reported a rise in crime, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to send highway patrol officers and prosecutors to help.

Her supporters say Price is being targeted by wealthy conservatives who don’t want to reform a flawed and racist criminal justice system. They say she should have more time to fulfill her campaign promises.