We all know the presidential election is coming up, but for some big cities, a crucial no vote (for chief prosecutor) could have a major effect on the day-to-day safety of their citizens.

In Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States, voters will decide whether expel The radical prosecutor George Gascón. Gascón barely made it through his first term, surviving two recovery efforts based on technicalities. Rising crime rates and a general sense of lawlessness have led even progressive Angelenos to say enough is enough.

Gascón opposes Nathan Hochmana former federal prosecutor who has promised to implement policies that treat those who commit crimes as criminals. Currently voteGascón is 24 points behind Hochman. In a last-minute Hail Mary, Gascón has decided to support the new sentence and clemency for the infamous Menéndez brothers, convicted of the brutal murders of their parents, even though their claims have been repeatedly rejected by the courts. Election Day will decide whether Los Angeles is ready to begin rebuilding.

Meanwhile, up north in California, another critical chief prosecutor is on the ballot: Pamela Price in Oakland. Price, along with Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, faces a recall election after only two years in office. Many Oakland voters have expressed the same remorse as their neighbors across the bay in San Francisco, who ousted progressive prosecutor Chesa Boudin after a few years in office, amid a spiral of crime and disorder.

Oakland has always been a tough city. Longtime Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley kept crime under control by employing sensible law and order tactics, even with limited resources. Price took office in 2022 promising utopian reforms that largely involved ignoring crime and criminals, apparently out of a desire to dismantle the criminal justice system and, indeed, his own office. It’s not surprising, crime increasedand Oakland’s poorest citizens suffered the most. How bad has Price been? The local NAACP chapter, religious leaders and even left-wing parties San Francisco Chronicle Everyone is calling for his overthrow. If Price is removed, the board of supervisors will name her replacement.

Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city, will also elect a new chief prosecutor. After eight chaotic years in office with very high murder ratesaccusations of ethical and professional ineptitude, and the Jussie Smollett debacle, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx read the writing on the wall and announced she would not run for re-election. Adding insult to injury to Chicago, the federally funded National Academy of Sciences recently invited Foxx to be the keynote speaker on his show that explores valuable prosecution strategies across the United States.

The race to replace Foxx holes Democrat Eileen O’Neill Burke against Republican Bob Fioretti, with Burke overwhelmingly favored to prevail in deep blue Chicago. The far left wing of the Democratic Party has criticized Burke is too eager to impose law and order policies. But Chicagoans can welcome someone who can bring a little law and order to their lawless streets, just like Baltimoreans elected Ivan Bates as chief prosecutor following the disastrous and violence-plagued reign of Marilyn Mosby.

Gascón, Price and Foxx came to power with self-proclaimed “progressive prosecutors,” promising to keep crime down through the illogical strategy of not prosecuting criminals. Each one enjoyed generously funds of George Soros and his activist organizations. Each saw an increase in crime in their cities and citizens suffered. Is the era of progressive prosecutors passing? Voters will let us know soon.

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