Will voters remember Pamela Price as Alameda County District Attorney?

Pamela Price surprised Alameda County’s criminal justice system in 2022 by winning election as district attorney after running on a platform emphasizing reform, racial justice and greater law enforcement accountability. Credit: Estefani Gonzalez

For the first time in Alameda County history, voters will decide in November whether to remove the district attorney from office.

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Former civil rights attorney Pamela Price took office as Alameda County district attorney in January 2023 with 53% of the vote, promising to reform the county’s criminal justice system.

Price reform platform included not charging young people as adults, relying less on incarceration and holding police accountable. Once she took office, she kept her promises. For example, it adopted a policy against the use of lengthening prison sentences for defendants and directed prosecutors to offer defendants probation instead of prison when possible.

This did not sit well with anti-crime activists.

Recall that the prosecution’s supporters blamed Price’s philosophy as a prosecutor for the recent increase in crime. Critics accused her of being too lenient. some high-profile cases. And Price also drew attention to investigation and prosecution of police officers and prison guards accused of murder, assault and other crimes.

By July 2023, Price’s critics had already took my first steps towards the review. In October 2023 they will officially launched recall campaign.

After enough signatures were collected to force a recall vote, the County Board of Supervisors placed the issue on the general election ballot as a less costly method compared to a special election.

As of 2023, according to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. annual reportThe report said Price took action on 62.9 percent of the cases referred to her office by law enforcement, the same number as in recent years under Price’s predecessor, Nancy O’Malley.

If the recall fails, Price will be able to serve the remainder of his sentence, which ends in 2028.

If the recall is successful, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors will appoint an interim district attorney to serve until the next regular election in 2026.

The person elected in 2026 will complete Price’s term, which ends in 2028.

login details Requirements for this position include a Juris Doctor degree from a recognized law school, admission to the state bar in the jurisdiction of employment, and at least five years of experience in the practice of law, preferably in the area of criminal prosecution.

Price “will not be removed immediately,” said David McCuan, a political science professor at Sonoma State University, but there will be pressure on leaders to replace her as quickly as possible.

“If you look at Chesa Boudin’s 2022 recall, you’re talking about a time frame of a few weeks, usually a couple,” McCuan said.