After less than two years in office, Oakland’s mayor will have to fight to keep her job.
Oaklandside reports that the Alameda County Registrar of Voters have certified the required 25,000 signatures to pave the way for a recall election. That vote will likely be folded into the fall’s general election.
Thao, a former city councilwoman, has come under fire for a number of issues, including Oakland’s ongoing problem with property crime, the controversy over her dismissal of former Oakland police chief Leronne Armstrong, and the imminent departure of the Athletics – the city’s last major league sports team.
The recall effort was led, in part, by former Alameda County Superior Court Judge Brenda Harbin-Forte, who was also a member of the police commission. She was publicly critical of Thao after her removal from the panel last June.
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price is also facing a recall election this November. It is the first time in more than 170 years that both Oakland’s mayor and top prosecutor have faced recall at the same time.
