Campaign to recall Alameda County DA Pamela Price submits signatures

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Leaders of the recall effort to get Pamela Price out as District Attorney turned in a petition Monday morning to hold a special election. They collected over 123,000 signatures to be verified. They need 73,500 verified signatures to hold an election.

"I have never said it before but I am saying it today - we are going to win," said Brenda Grisham, one of the recall effort leaders. "We shouldn't have to do this, but for the safety of our community, the safety of our children, the safety of our businesses, this is something that had to be done. This is a right for the citizens of Alameda County."

Ten boxes were handed over to the Alameda County Registrar's Office. The county will have to verify each signature to see if it is eligible to count towards a recall petition. The county has 10 days to verify the signatures and if they can verify 73,500, the county Board of Supervisors will call for a special election.

"They said it wasn't going to work, that we don't have the money," said Carl Chan, another recall effort leader. "When there is a will, there is a way and guess what? We all did it."

MORE: 'Attack on our democracy': Alameda County DA launches campaign to fight recall

That special election could come as early as April or May. Supporter of Pamela Price say she is doing what she is being elected to do.

"Any courthouse, you will see deputies of her office are locking people up and making sure they are accountable for what happened," said William Fitzgerald, a spokesperson for the "Protect the Win" campaign for Price. "The reality is, crime didn't start when DA Price took office and it is also going to exist long beyond her time here."

This recall effort is personal for some families of Alameda County. They claim Price has been too lenient on crime since taking office.

"Our son was murdered back in 2020, and the person was under murder charges under the old DA," said Patricia Harris, a Hayward resident and volunteer with the recall effort. "Pamela Price came in and dropped all the charges and added her own, of which none were murder. She also dropped the gun enhancements and he was shot."

MORE: Alameda Co. DA Pamela Price says she's being 'targeted' amid recall effort over progressive policies

If this does go to an election, Fitzgerald says the voters will still support Price.

"She was elected with 53% of the vote over a year ago despite being hugely outspent by the establishment," he said. "The truth is, the establishment lost. They're annoyed and they dumped over $2 million on a campaign to oust her."

Harris says even if some of the signatures wont count, she says there will still be enough for an election.

"We didn't sit and volunteer and get signatures unwillingly," she said. "People were looking for places to go sign against her."

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