Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has conceded after a recall election passed by a wide margin.
Thao, the first Hmong woman to be elected the mayor of a major American city, thanked Oakland residents for having chosen her for what she called “the honor of my lifetime.”
“It was my goal to make Oakland safer, cleaner, and more vibrant,” Thao said in a statement Friday night. “And I am proud of what we accomplished together.”
Oakland voters approved of Thao’s removal by a vote of 63.9% or 41,912 versus 36.2% or 23,733, according to complete but unofficial results from Alameda County elections officials.
“I am committed to ensuring we stay on track by supporting a smooth transition,” the mayor said.
“It isn’t about me,” Thao said. “It never has been. It has always been about Oakland. And the changes we have enacted in these two short years will be felt for generations to come.”
“It isn’t about me. It never has been. It has always been about Oakland.”
Mayor Sheng Thao
“We brought crime down dramatically across the board with a historic 35% reduction in homicides,” Thao said. “For the first time in over a decade, Oakland went over a month without a single murder.”
“Our work literally saved lives,” she said.
Thao said she added 1,500 units of affordable housing in development in 2024. She also claimed credit for updating information technology in the 911 system, and installing a camera system that tracks license plates for police.