Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao to face recall election in November
OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao will face a recall election after the campaign to oust her from office garnered enough signatures to put it on the November ballot.
This is the first mayoral recall in Oakland’s history.
The city council is expected to discuss the recall election at its meeting on July 2.
Oakland United to Recall Sheng Thao (OUST), the campaign spearheading the recall effort, will hold a press conference on June 19.
OUST said they submitted over 40,000 signatures seven weeks before the deadline of July 22.
Supporters of the effort said they want Thao removed from office for several reasons, including failure to crack down on crime, missing the deadline to apply for a $15 million state crime grant, firing Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong and losing the Oakland A’s.
"This historic achievement marks the first recall in Oakland's history, with Oakland voters signing with a sense of urgency and purpose to recall this dishonest and incompetent mayor," said OUST President, Retired Alameda County Superior Court Judge Brenda Harbin-Forte."Thao’s actions have pushed Oakland to the brink, but the community is saying, 'NO MORE. We want Thao gone."