District attorneys are powerful elected officials, but many of us can’t remember the last time we voted for one. Here in California, we have elected prosecutors in every county, and we have the power to support them or vote them out if they don’t align with our values.
Ensuring your DA shares your values starts with getting to know them and making sure they know how the community feels about important criminal justice issues. MeetYourDA.org is a great resource for finding out who your DA is and what policies they support.
Voting for DAs that align with our values is a powerful way to help remake our justice system and promote real public safety. District attorneys in California have tremendous power to impact the lives of millions of people, their families, and entire communities.
If someone is accused of committing a crime, it is not the police but the DA who has the sole power to decide if criminal charges are filed and the severity of those charges. They alone decide who should face a jail or prison sentence and who will instead be routed into a diversion program to help rebuild their life, or have charges dismissed.
In Alameda County, community members are making their voices heard in a powerful campaign regarding DA Nancy O’Malley, who has since announced that she won’t seek reelection this year. The Justice 4 Oscar Grant Coalition has raised awareness about O’Malley’s shameful history of obstructing justice, including her decision not to prosecute BART police Officer Anthony Pirone for his part in the shooting death of Oscar Grant III. DA O’Malley and her staff have also been accused of illegal campaign practices, including using government emails for campaign fundraising. Those emails show that her office worked with an independent expenditure committee backed by the police union.
District attorney elections are happening across the Bay Area, including in Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Francisco counties. Make sure to vote on this important office by the end of the day on Tuesday, June 7th.
