77 officials were recalled in 2024—higher than the 10-year average

By Ballotpedia staff – Updated January 10, 2025

In 2024, Ballotpedia tracked 246 recall efforts targeting 383 officials. This was the fewest since 2020 when there were 238 recall efforts targeting 301 officials, and it was the third consecutive year of decline in recall efforts since the 2021 peak when we tracked 357 efforts targeting 545 officials.

A total of 77 officials were removed from office through recall elections, representing 20% of the officials targeted. This is the third-highest percentage of officials removed since Ballotpedia began tracking recall data in 2012. In comparison, 2018 had the highest percentage of officials removed with 26%.

City council officials were the most targeted group in 2024, continuing a trend from 2016 to 2023. The exception was 2021 when school board members were the most targeted. City council officials made up 44% of all recall targets in 2024, followed by school board officials at 21%.

Michigan had the most officials targeted for recall in 2024 with 70, followed by California with 65. Michigan also led the nation in recall targets in 2018, 2022, and 2023. California had the most officials targeted for recall in the other five years from 2016 to 2021.

Oregon had the highest rate of recall attempts relative to its population with 0.76 recalls per 100,000 residents. Michigan followed with 0.70 recalls per 100,000 residents, while Nebraska had 0.56 recalls per 100,000 residents.

Notable recalls across 2024 included the following:

Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price in California was recalled on November 5, 2024, by a margin of 62.9% to 37.1%. This was the first time in the county’s history that a district attorney was successfully recalled. Recall organizers argued that Price’s policies contributed to an increase in crime, citing issues such as leniency in sentencing enhancements, mishandling of homicide cases, and the replacement of experienced county prosecutors with unqualified candidates. In response, Price defended her record, describing her policies as criminal justice reforms. She emphasized the importance of diverting individuals from the criminal justice system and stated that the criminal justice system “has shown to be racially biased.”

Voters in Oakland, California, recalled Mayor Sheng Thao on November 5, 2024, with 60.6% voting in favor of her removal from office. This marked the first time in Oakland’s history that a mayor was successfully recalled. The recall notice accused Thao of creating a public safety crisis by systematically dismantling the Oakland Police Department, delaying its exit from federal oversight, and missing a deadline for a state grant intended to combat retail theft. Additionally, rising crime rates in the city were cited as further grounds for the recall. Oaklanders Defending Democracy, the official campaign against the recall, argued that the recall would undermine the city’s stability.

Recall elections were held on October 1, 2024, against two of the seven school board members for the Juneau Borough School District in Alaska. Emil Mackey and Deedie Sorensen successfully retained their seats, as the majority of voters voted against the recall efforts. The recall petitions officially cited “failure to understand the FY24 budget and accounting errors resulting in $7.9M deficit and taxpayer loan from CBJ” as reasons for the recall. Both Mackey and Sorensen said they voted to approve a budget in spring 2023 that appeared balanced based on information provided to them by the district’s administration and financial staff.

Recall elections took place on November 5, 2024, against City Councilmen David Auge and Michael Farrow in Page, Arizona. Both Auge and Farrow were retained in office by voters. Recall organizers accused Auge and Farrow of ignoring a petition on lane reductions, rejecting a ballot measure with sufficient signatures for the July 2024 ballot, and preventing voters from deciding on a plan that could cost taxpayers up to $30 million and alter the town’s main street. In their defense, Auge and Farrow both emphasized their commitment to serving and improving the community.