"A week after the unprecedented removal of Sheriff Christina Corpus, San Mateo County supervisors on Tuesday debated whether to appoint her successor or wait until June 2026 for voters to choose the county's next top law enforcement officer. The Board of Supervisors faces a dilemma between mounting costs from the removal process and the public choice for the next leader of the 800-person office with a $300million-plus budget."
"While most supervisors signaled support for waiting until June 2026 to hold an election and avoid the $3.2 million cost of a special vote, they also worried about leaving a non-elected official in charge for months. Undersheriff Dan Perea, appointed by Corpus last year, is serving as the acting sheriff while the position remains vacant a situation that some community members have raised as concerning, given his close ties to the former sheriff."
"Those would be dollars well spent considering the crisis that we're in, Canepa said. And this is the cost of democracy and bringing healing to a department that has gone through so much."
San Mateo County supervisors debated whether to appoint a new sheriff or wait for a June 2026 election following Sheriff Christina Corpus's removal. The removal, enabled by Measure A, allows the board to oust a sheriff for cause and requires the board to appoint a replacement or call an election within 30 days. Supervisors considered the $3.2 million cost of an off-cycle special election versus leaving Undersheriff Dan Perea as acting sheriff. Concerns centered on public choice, departmental healing, campaign preparation time, and Perea's close ties to the removed sheriff amid unprecedented local political fallout.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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