Exploring Oakland’s Key Races: What You Need to Know

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No on the anti-democratic Recall of District Attorney Pam Price

Pam Price has been a steadfast proponent of criminal justice reform and community safety, working tirelessly to address the root causes of crime and ensure justice for all.

This recall is a right-wing-funded distraction from the progress we’ve made—let’s keep our democratically-elected DA in office and continue moving forward together.  

District Attorney Pam Price is being recalled even though she has been doing an amazing job and has not broken any law as an elected official that would justify her early removal from office. The record shows that she is prosecuting crimes at the same rate as every prior DA while at the same time investing in violence prevention programs and rehabilitation to actually reduce crime.  She has implemented programs that have put mentally ill and youth in the appropriate care to prevent future crime. 

If DA Price recalled things are going to get worse not better. Voters would have no voice until 2028 because the DA would be appointed. Critical programs Price has put in place to keep Alameda County safe would be in jeopardy. 

The  ACLU and Alameda Democratic party are against the recall because it is completely unjustified.   Our decisions as voters should be respected.  Vote no on the Recall of District Attorney Pam Price. Click here to canvass to protect the win.

No on the right-wing Recall of Mayor Sheng Thao 

With crime on the decline and Oakland finally getting back on track after the pandemic, we can’t afford to remove Mayor Sheng Thao from office and leave our city rudderless. This recall was primarily funded by one right-wing Piedmont hedge fund manager, not Oakland residents. Vote NO on this recall or risk cuts to critical services and severe government dysfunction and chaos.

Thao faced a very challenging situation coming into office: federal COVID relief funds were ending, Oakland was still struggling to recover economically from the pandemic, and crime was increasing.  Since she has been mayor she has begun to address all these issues balancing the budget while preserving as many city programs as possible. Crime is actually going down now thanks to collaborative violence prevention programs the Mayor’s office has championed. We still have a long way to go to address these serious issues facing Oakland and we need her in office to make sure this progress continues. 

If this recall proceeds, there will be no leadership to get things done with potentially two interim Mayors before a special election could be held in the Spring 2025. And, when that special election is called, it will cost taxpayers millions to hold, which will take away funding for our programs and services in our community. Oakland needs stable leadership in the Mayor’s office that will advance affordable housing, increase support to our small businesses, improve our youth, expand access to quality jobs and address dumping and trash on our streets. We need everyone to stand up to this attack on Oakland voters and our democratic process. Vote No on the recall of Mayor Sheng Thao.

Alameda County District 5 Nikki Fortunato Bas

Nikki Fortunato Bas was elected as Oakland District 2 Councilmember in 2018 and currently serves as Council President. She has lived in District 2 of Oakland for 20 years. Prior to being elected as the first Filipina-American councilmember in Oakland, she was a lifelong community organizer. Nikki has dedicated her career to advocating for working people, low-income communities, and small businesses.

Nikki’s leadership and commitment across decades of experience positions her as a champion for Alameda County and its constituents. From her work as Executive Director of the East Bay Alliance for Sustainable Economy, to her current position as Oakland City Council President, her deep belief in governing with residents and equitable democracy is evident in her principled partnerships with community organizations and the accomplishments we have won together. On the Oakland City Council, Nikki led efforts to secure $350M for up to 2,400 housing units for homeless and working families; established a $14M fund to assist low-income, housing-insecure tenants to purchase homes; expanded violence prevention and anti-sex trafficking programs; and launched Fire Department mobile crisis teams to address mental health and 911 calls.  

Nikki has been a leader in reimagining public safety. For example, she has helped expand Mobile Crisis Response Teams to address mental health emergencies and other non-violent situations with care and compassion. We support Nikki Fortunato Bas because of her progressive, values-aligned leadership, with economic justice at its core. We look forward to working with her to advance county policies on budget transparency, tenant protections, and economic recovery for workers and small businesses. Vote for Nikki Fortunato Bas for Alameda County District 5 Supervisor! Canvass with Nikki the last few weeks of the election learn more here.

Oakland City Attorney Ryan Richardson 

As Oakland’s Chief Assistant City Attorney, Ryan has dedicated over a decade to serving our community with integrity and commitment. With a background in public interest law and a focus on police accountability, housing rights, and public safety, Ryan has consistently fought for a more just and equitable Oakland.

Ryan’s platform emphasizes transparency, accountability, and protecting the rights of all Oakland residents. He advocates for a holistic approach to public safety, ensuring that city resources are used effectively to benefit the entire community. His deep understanding of the legal challenges facing Oakland, combined with his unwavering commitment to justice, makes him the ideal candidate to lead the City Attorney’s office.

In these times, Oakland needs a City Attorney who not only understands the law, but also recognizes its power to effect positive change. Under Ryan Richardson’s leadership, the City Attorney’s office will continue to serve as a champion for equity, transparency, and the rights of all Oaklanders. Join us in supporting Ryan Richardson for Oakland City Attorney—let’s build a more just and equitable Oakland together.

Yes on NN  Fund violence prevention

Measure NN is essential to addressing the safety challenges we are experiencing in Oakland. Measure NN renews an existing measure that funds violence reduction services & community policing.  This measure invests in reducing 911 response times, critical intervention programs like Ceasefire to reduce gun violence, and proven community-based programs to keep youth off the streets including job training, high school graduation assistance, and mental health services. This is the third reauthorization of a parking and parcel tax to fund violence prevention services in the city of Oakland and would establish a new oversight commission to oversee violence reduction plans for Oakland and ensure funds are used effectively. 

Yes on OO Strengthen Public Ethics Oversight

Measure OO will strengthen the city’s anti-corruption laws in important ways by establishing new rules: limiting gifts from lobbyists, addressing commissioner conflicts of interest, and ensuring capacity to implement voter approved programs like Democracy Dollars. The Oakland Public Ethics Commission is the city’s watchdog on government ethics and accountability. Measure OO will update the governance of the commission to incorporate best practices known to be effective in other nearby cities. We know good governance requires good oversight. Vote Yes on OO to support more transparency and effective oversight.