The November 5, 2024 election included a ballot question to Oakland voters asking whether Mayor Sheng Thao should be recalled. This page is provided by the City Administrator's Office to provide responses to common questions regarding that ballot question and next steps. This page was last updated on November 14, 2024.
Question: Has Mayor Thao been recalled?
Answer: Local news outlets started reporting on Friday, November 8, that the recall was successful, and Mayor Thao released a statement in which she said, “I am deeply proud of the progress we created together and I am committed to ensuring we stay on track by supporting a smooth transition.”
Please note, however, that the Alameda County Registrar of Voters (ROV) is the agency responsible for counting the votes and certifying and publishing the final results of the November 5, 2024 election. As of the ROV’s public update on November 20, that counting is not yet complete, and no results are yet official or certified. The ROV has 30 days to certify the election; the City expects to receive the ROV’s certification of election results by December 5.
Question: If the recall of Mayor Thao is approved by voters, when would she be expected to leave office?
Answer: The Mayor, if recalled, will leave office when the City Council passes a resolution declaring the election results, which will occur after receipt of the ROV’s certification of election results. The City expects to receive the ROV’s certification by December 5. The City Council’s resolution declaring the election results is anticipated to be scheduled for the December 17 City Council meeting.
Question: Who serves as Mayor after the recall is certified, prior to a special election to determine a new Mayor chosen by voters?
Answer: If the recall is approved by voters, the Council President (currently Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas) would become the Mayor, and the Council President Pro Tempore (currently Councilmember Dan Kalb) would become Council President.
City Councilmembers who were elected in the November 5, 2024 election will be inaugurated on Monday January 6, 2025, and at that time the new City Council will vote among themselves who shall serve as Council President and Council President Pro Tempore. The newly-elected Council President would become Mayor until a new Mayor is sworn in after a special election. The City Council President Pro Tempore would serve as Council President during that period.
Question: When would a special election to determine the new permanent Mayor be held? How long would the person elected serve as Mayor?
Answer: A special election for Mayor must be held within 120 days after the City Council’s declaration of election results, which if passed on December 17, means a special election is likely to be held in early to mid-April, 2025. The Council is responsible for selecting the date for the special election and will call the election and set that date by resolution. The Mayor-elect would then be responsible for serving out the remainder of Mayor Thao’s term.
Question: How much will a special election cost?
Answer: The cost for a special standalone election is determined by the Alameda County Registrar of Voters. At this time the expected cost is $19-21 per voter and as of November 8, 2024 there are 253,015 registered voters in Oakland. County information on this topic is available at https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/election-information/election-cost.
Question: Who is currently the Mayor of Oakland?
Answer: Mayor Thao remains the Mayor of Oakland, and will hold that role until the City Council declares the results of the election as certified by the ROV. City Administrator Jestin Johnson is working closely with Mayor Thao and her office, and with Council President Bas and her Council budget team, to continue advancing the timely work of the City of Oakland. All essential services continue to be provided under a permanent team of department heads, including public safety services. Time-sensitive work to address the City’s budget is ongoing, and an expedited Administration report on the City’s latest expenditures and revenues analysis will be brought to the City Council’s special meeting on November 19.
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