Early results suggest Oakland voters chose to recall Mayor Sheng Thao, and residents countywide in Alameda voted to remove District Attorney Pamela Price, which some say reflects a desire to get tougher on crime.
Thao appears to have lost her bid to keep her position leading Oakland by a wide margin, with 65 percent of voters choosing to remove her from office, according to unofficial preliminary results.
Supporters of the recall efforts said they were mobilized by a concern for public safety—citing drug addiction, theft, homelessness, and other issues.
Some also pointed to Oakland’s budget deficit of nearly $177 million as a reason they wanted to change leaders….