Protect the Win! Oppose the Special Recall Election
On Monday, April 15th 2024, the Alameda County Registrar of Voters announced their certification of signatures to recall District Attorney Pamela Price. A small group of conservatives backed by corporate money, Save Alameda For Everyone (SAFE), submitted the signatures. The Board of Supervisors will need to approve the certified results in the coming weeks. They have between 88-125 days to call the required special election to ask Alameda County voters if DA Price should be recalled. A special election before the next general election will cost Alameda County taxpayers upwards of $15 to $20 million, expenses which were currently not budgeted for and at a time when our county projects a budget deficit.
In March, Alameda County voters approved Measure B, which consolidated recall special elections with general elections, saving taxpayers millions of dollars and protecting our democracy. Although Measure B is not retroactive, we urge the Board of Supervisors to explore every possible option to align this special election with the November general election. This is the best possible outcome to protect our county from growing our budget deficit.
Additionally, special elections have the lowest voter turnout and also impact voter turnout to future elections due to voter fatigue. Avoiding a special election by having the recall question appear on the general election ballot ensures greater voter participation and, thereby, will help promote a more equitable democracy.
We call on Board of Supervisors Lena Tam, Keith Carson, and Elisa Marquez to support the alignment of the recall with the November general election.