Out of all the racial groups in San Francisco, Asian Americans are the most likely to support the recall of District Attorney Chesa Boudin, according to a new poll.
Boudin, who took office in January 2020, will face a recall election on June 7 after critics petitioned against his restorative justice and “decarceration” policies, which allegedly worsened crimes in the city.
Last year, San Francisco saw a whopping 567% increase in reported hate crimes against Asian Americans, who have been targets of violence since the onset of COVID-19.
The San Francisco Standard Voter Poll, which was published on Wednesday, found that 67% of AAPI voters favored the recall, far higher than 52% of Hispanic voters, 51% of white voters and 34% of Black voters.
Nonpartisan group Embold Research conducted the poll for The Standard and surveyed 1,048 registered voters between April 30 and May 4. Leanna Louie, who has protested against Boudin multiple times, told the outlet that she was “not surprised” by the results.
“The Asian community has had enough,” Louie told The Standard. ”Public safety should be Chesa Boudin’s highest priority, but it feels like he’s focused more on politics and optics than protecting us from the dangerous people on the street.”
Former Police Deputy Chief Garret Tom said hate crimes against Asian Americans are not new, but he acknowledged the spike in anti-Asian incidents.
“If you are constantly letting people out of jail with no accountability, they are going to repeat,” Tom was quoted as saying.
Overall, 57% said they would vote to recall Boudin. Twenty-two percent said they would not, while 21% were undecided.
This total is reflected in the fractions of those who disapprove of the official’s performance. Fifty-two percent said they “strongly disapprove,” while 18% said they “somewhat disapprove.”
A respondent who described themself as a “soft” Boudin supporter said his recall “sends the right message” about San Franciscans’ expectations of a district attorney. “I think it’s hard to put all the blame on Chesa Boudin, but he still hasn’t fulfilled his obligations to the city to keep our city safe,” they said.
Meanwhile, the local policy of arresting those who commit minor property crimes such as shoplifting and car break-ins received the highest support (73%) among respondents.
Other policies that garnered the largest support include forcing drug users who pose a risk to submit themselves to treatment (66%), compelling the homeless to go inside when shelter is available (59%), and ending Recology’s monopoly and expanding garbage collection contractors (also 59%).
Featured Image via KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco
