2024 Oakland mayoral recall election

2024 Oakland mayoral recall election

November 5, 2024
Shall Sheng Thao be recalled (removed) from the office of mayor?
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 86,535 60.62% No 56,220 39.38% Valid votes 142,755 100.00% Invalid or blank votes 0 0.00% Total votes 142,755 100.00%
Results by consolidated precinct Yes (for recall):   50–55%   55–60%   60–65%   65-70%   70-75%   75-80%   >80% No (against recall):   50–55%   55–60%   60–65%   No votes
Mayor before election Sheng Thao Elected mayor TBD

The 2024 Oakland mayoral recall election was a successful special recall election to remove Oakland mayor Sheng Thao from office less than two years into her first four-year term. It was held on November 5, 2024 concurrent with the statewide and nationwide general elections.

Background

Sheng Thao was elected mayor in 2022 with a margin of 0.6% after instant-runoff voting. Her administration attracted criticism for firing its Chief of Police in early 2023 following a report he mishandled internal investigations, failing to submit an application for a $2 million retail theft prevention grant, and blamed for Oakland's relatively high crime rate. Thao's home was raided by the FBI in June of 2023, reportedly as part of a corruption investigation into kickbacks to a local contractor in return for 2022 campaign contributions.

In June of 2024, the recall obtained enough signatures to be placed on the ballot alongside the recall of Alameda District Attorney Pamela Price.

Former mayor Libby Schaaf and former Oakland councilmember Loren Taylor supported the recall, while U.S. Congress Barbara Lee and former mayor Jean Quan opposed it. Piedmont resident and hedge fund manager Philip Dreyfuss contributed $605,000 to the recall campaign, and $200,000 to Price's recall.

Results

2024 Oakland mayoral recall election

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	86,535	60.62
No	56,220	39.38
Total votes	142,755	100.00
Source: Alameda County Department of Elections