Elect Barbara Lee to put Oakland on the right track for progress.
Barbara Lee’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of Oakland and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Lee has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including the Oakland Education Association, Planned Parenthood Advocates Mar Monte, and Alameda Labor Council AFL-CIO. She has also received the endorsement of local and state leaders, including Interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins, former Gov. Jerry Brown, State Sen. Jesse Arreguin, Asm. Mia Bonta, and Rep. Lateefah Simon.
Electoral history: Lee served nearly 30 years in Congress, first winning election in 1998 to represent a district that included Oakland. She won her final reelection in 2022 after earning over 90% of the vote. In 2024, Lee ran in the open primary to replace the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein as California’s senator but did not advance out of the primary after earning just 11% of the vote.
Top issues: Public safety, effective solutions to homelessness and housing, and government ethics and accountability.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Lee had a long career in politics before winning her congressional seat, including working on the historic presidential campaign of Shirley Chisholm. As a young social worker, she founded a mental health service organization, Community Health Alliance for Neighborhood Growth and Education, to benefit her local East Bay community. She then spent eleven years working on the staff of Congressmember Ron Dellums, eventually serving as his chief of staff. After her tenure in congressional staffing, she founded a facilities management company. In 1990, Rep. Lee launched a successful bid for a seat in the California Assembly, where she served for six years before she was elected to the state Senate. In 1998, she won a special election to represent CD-09 in the U.S. House. In her 26-year tenure in Congress, Rep. Lee was an outspoken progressive leader across various issues, including ending poverty, and has been a prolific author of legislation related to ending AIDS/HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. She was the only member of Congress to vote against the authorization for the use of military force after the attacks on September 11, 2001, a controversial position at the time.
Other background: Lee is from El Paso, TX, and moved to the San Fernando Valley as a teenager. She attended Mills College and has lived in the Bay Area her entire adult life.
The Race
Special election: In November 2024, Mayor Sheng Thao was recalled after a campaign backed by conservative groups. There have since been two interim mayors, including the current Interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins. The winner of this April 15 special election will fill the remainder of Thao’s original term through 2027. Ten candidates are running for this seat, including Barbara Lee, Tyron Jordan, Peter Liu, President Cristina Grappo, Mindy Pechenuk, Suz Robinson, Eric Simpson, Elizabeth Swaney, Loren Taylor, and Renia Webb. This is a ranked choice voting, instant run-off election.
None of the candidates in this election have filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the city as of February 2025.
The District
City: Oakland is Alameda County’s most populous city. Oakland’s mayor and city council oversee the needs of 435,000 people and manage an estimated operating budget of $1.7 billion annually.
District demographics: As of the 2020 Census, Oakland had a demographic breakdown of 25% Latino, 16% Asian, and 21% Black.
Recent election results: Alameda County, which includes Oakland, voted for Kamala Harris for president in 2024 by 54 points and for Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 58 points.
The Position
Oakland is governed by a city council of eight elected representatives. A city council is responsible for establishing policy, passing local laws (ordinances), voting on budget appropriations, and developing an overall vision for the city. These bodies are often augmented by two additional seats held by a mayor and a vice mayor. Oakland uses the mayor-council government structure. The mayor is elected at large and acts as chair of the city council and the city’s chief executive officer. The Oakland mayor does not hold any special legislative power. In Oakland, the mayor is elected to a four-year term, with a limit of two terms.
Elect Barbara Lee to put Oakland on the right track for progress.
Barbara Lee’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of Oakland and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Lee has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including the Oakland Education Association, Planned Parenthood Advocates Mar Monte, and Alameda Labor Council AFL-CIO. She has also received the endorsement of local and state leaders, including Interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins, former Gov. Jerry Brown, State Sen. Jesse Arreguin, Asm. Mia Bonta, and Rep. Lateefah Simon.
Electoral history: Lee served nearly 30 years in Congress, first winning election in 1998 to represent a district that included Oakland. She won her final reelection in 2022 after earning over 90% of the vote. In 2024, Lee ran in the open primary to replace the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein as California’s senator but did not advance out of the primary after earning just 11% of the vote.
Top issues: Public safety, effective solutions to homelessness and housing, and government ethics and accountability.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Lee had a long career in politics before winning her congressional seat, including working on the historic presidential campaign of Shirley Chisholm. As a young social worker, she founded a mental health service organization, Community Health Alliance for Neighborhood Growth and Education, to benefit her local East Bay community. She then spent eleven years working on the staff of Congressmember Ron Dellums, eventually serving as his chief of staff. After her tenure in congressional staffing, she founded a facilities management company. In 1990, Rep. Lee launched a successful bid for a seat in the California Assembly, where she served for six years before she was elected to the state Senate. In 1998, she won a special election to represent CD-09 in the U.S. House. In her 26-year tenure in Congress, Rep. Lee was an outspoken progressive leader across various issues, including ending poverty, and has been a prolific author of legislation related to ending AIDS/HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. She was the only member of Congress to vote against the authorization for the use of military force after the attacks on September 11, 2001, a controversial position at the time.
Other background: Lee is from El Paso, TX, and moved to the San Fernando Valley as a teenager. She attended Mills College and has lived in the Bay Area her entire adult life.
The Race
Special election: In November 2024, Mayor Sheng Thao was recalled after a campaign backed by conservative groups. There have since been two interim mayors, including the current Interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins. The winner of this April 15 special election will fill the remainder of Thao’s original term through 2027. Ten candidates are running for this seat, including Barbara Lee, Tyron Jordan, Peter Liu, President Cristina Grappo, Mindy Pechenuk, Suz Robinson, Eric Simpson, Elizabeth Swaney, Loren Taylor, and Renia Webb. This is a ranked choice voting, instant run-off election.
None of the candidates in this election have filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the city as of February 2025.
The District
City: Oakland is Alameda County’s most populous city. Oakland’s mayor and city council oversee the needs of 435,000 people and manage an estimated operating budget of $1.7 billion annually.
District demographics: As of the 2020 Census, Oakland had a demographic breakdown of 25% Latino, 16% Asian, and 21% Black.
Recent election results: Alameda County, which includes Oakland, voted for Kamala Harris for president in 2024 by 54 points and for Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 58 points.
The Position
Oakland is governed by a city council of eight elected representatives. A city council is responsible for establishing policy, passing local laws (ordinances), voting on budget appropriations, and developing an overall vision for the city. These bodies are often augmented by two additional seats held by a mayor and a vice mayor. Oakland uses the mayor-council government structure. The mayor is elected at large and acts as chair of the city council and the city’s chief executive officer. The Oakland mayor does not hold any special legislative power. In Oakland, the mayor is elected to a four-year term, with a limit of two terms.
Elect Barbara Lee to put Oakland on the right track for progress.
Barbara Lee’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of Oakland and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Lee has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including the Oakland Education Association, Planned Parenthood Advocates Mar Monte, and Alameda Labor Council AFL-CIO. She has also received the endorsement of local and state leaders, including Interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins, former Gov. Jerry Brown, State Sen. Jesse Arreguin, Asm. Mia Bonta, and Rep. Lateefah Simon.
Electoral history: Lee served nearly 30 years in Congress, first winning election in 1998 to represent a district that included Oakland. She won her final reelection in 2022 after earning over 90% of the vote. In 2024, Lee ran in the open primary to replace the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein as California’s senator but did not advance out of the primary after earning just 11% of the vote.
Top issues: Public safety, effective solutions to homelessness and housing, and government ethics and accountability.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Lee had a long career in politics before winning her congressional seat, including working on the historic presidential campaign of Shirley Chisholm. As a young social worker, she founded a mental health service organization, Community Health Alliance for Neighborhood Growth and Education, to benefit her local East Bay community. She then spent eleven years working on the staff of Congressmember Ron Dellums, eventually serving as his chief of staff. After her tenure in congressional staffing, she founded a facilities management company. In 1990, Rep. Lee launched a successful bid for a seat in the California Assembly, where she served for six years before she was elected to the state Senate. In 1998, she won a special election to represent CD-09 in the U.S. House. In her 26-year tenure in Congress, Rep. Lee was an outspoken progressive leader across various issues, including ending poverty, and has been a prolific author of legislation related to ending AIDS/HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. She was the only member of Congress to vote against the authorization for the use of military force after the attacks on September 11, 2001, a controversial position at the time.
Other background: Lee is from El Paso, TX, and moved to the San Fernando Valley as a teenager. She attended Mills College and has lived in the Bay Area her entire adult life.
The Race
Special election: In November 2024, Mayor Sheng Thao was recalled after a campaign backed by conservative groups. There have since been two interim mayors, including the current Interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins. The winner of this April 15 special election will fill the remainder of Thao’s original term through 2027. Ten candidates are running for this seat, including Barbara Lee, Tyron Jordan, Peter Liu, President Cristina Grappo, Mindy Pechenuk, Suz Robinson, Eric Simpson, Elizabeth Swaney, Loren Taylor, and Renia Webb. This is a ranked choice voting, instant run-off election.
None of the candidates in this election have filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the city as of February 2025.
The District
City: Oakland is Alameda County’s most populous city. Oakland’s mayor and city council oversee the needs of 435,000 people and manage an estimated operating budget of $1.7 billion annually.
District demographics: As of the 2020 Census, Oakland had a demographic breakdown of 25% Latino, 16% Asian, and 21% Black.
Recent election results: Alameda County, which includes Oakland, voted for Kamala Harris for president in 2024 by 54 points and for Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 58 points.
The Position
Oakland is governed by a city council of eight elected representatives. A city council is responsible for establishing policy, passing local laws (ordinances), voting on budget appropriations, and developing an overall vision for the city. These bodies are often augmented by two additional seats held by a mayor and a vice mayor. Oakland uses the mayor-council government structure. The mayor is elected at large and acts as chair of the city council and the city’s chief executive officer. The Oakland mayor does not hold any special legislative power. In Oakland, the mayor is elected to a four-year term, with a limit of two terms.