Oakland will hold a special election on April 15th to replace recalled mayor Sheng Thao, who is facing eight counts of conspiracy and bribery. Kevin Jenkins is currently in office as the interim mayor, making him the fourth mayor in the last three years in a city that typically has a four year mayoral term.
More than three in five Oakland residents voted “Yes” on the recall. This campaign was organized by Oakland United to Recall Sheng Thao (OUST), which is largely backed by Phillip Dreyfuss, a hedge fund manager and Piedmont resident. Dreyfuss put more than a million dollars into various organizations that supported the recalls of Thao and District Attorney Pamela Price. The financial influence of a non-resident on this recall has raised concern about whether it is a democratic action.
After a FBI raid of her house in June of last year, Sheng Thao was indicted on January 17th on federal charges of bribery, conspiracy, and mail and wire fraud. Andre Jones, her longtime boyfriend, as well as David and Andy Duong, owners of Cal Waste Solutions, Oakland’s recycling company, are also facing charges. However, the recall campaign started before the raid.
Recall organizers claim Thao was recalled primarily for her handling of Oakland’s crime and public safety. Despite this, numbers decreased across the board in the crime statistics, with 30% fewer homicides compared to 2023.
There are ten candidates running for the position, including Loren Taylor, who Thao beat by a margin of less than 700 votes in 2022. He believes mailers financed by the $75,000 bribe that Thao allegedly received from the Duongs was a main contributor to his loss. Former Congresswoman Barbara Lee is also running for mayor. She left her spot in the House after more than two decades to run for Senate in last year’s election. Jenkins, the current Interim Mayor and City Council President, is not running for office. The winner of these special elections will serve until regular elections resume in 2026.
While their term will be short, the next mayor will have a lot on their plate, especially financially. The sale of the Oakland Coliseum was critical for filling out the budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year, but its delay has left a nearly $130 million deficit. Consequences of this include the temporary closure of two fire stations. The elected mayor must also deal with a structural deficit gap of $280 million for the 2025-27 budget cycle.
April’s special election will replace both Jenkins and the current District 2 Interim City Council Representative. Only residents of District 2 will vote for the new representative. The district includes neighborhoods such as Lakeshore, Crocker Highlands, Trestle Glen, Chinatown, and the Jack London District. You can find out which district you live in at alamedacountyca.gov.
For eligible voters, rank-choice vote-by-mail and in-person voting begins March 17th. The last chance to register to vote is March 31st. Candidate lists and information can be found on candidates’ individual campaign websites. The official voter guide will be mailed to registered voters starting March 6th. All information can be found at oaklandca.gov.