Alameda County voters will choose among three candidates for district attorney in the June 2 primary election, a closely watched race shaped by ongoing debates over public safety and criminal justice reform. The election comes after the recall of the county’s first reform-minded district attorney.
The candidates are incumbent District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson, former District Attorney Pamela Price, and trial attorney and political newcomer Gopal Krishan. If no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to the November general election.
Price was elected district attorney in 2022 as part of a national wave of progressive prosecutors who advocated for reducing mass incarceration, increasing police accountability, and addressing racial disparities in the criminal justice system. She became the first Black person and the first Black woman elected as Alameda County district attorney.
While Price earned strong support from families affected by police violence, critics argued that her policies were overly lenient and failed to adequately protect crime victims. Others contended that some of her initiatives were poorly executed, including the prosecution of Alameda police officers charged in the death of Oakland resident Mario Gonzalez.
In 2024, a recall campaign backed in part by Piedmont hedge fund manager Phillip Dreyfuss successfully removed Price from office. Following the recall, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors appointed Jones Dickson—a former Superior Court judge and longtime prosecutor—to fill the vacancy. She has served as district attorney since 2025.