Oakland, CA — This week, the Alameda County Registrar of Voters released the final election results on Tuesday, December 3rd and will certify the election results by Thursday, December 5th. The timeline outlined below recognizes the passage of the Oakland Mayoral recall and the election of Oakland Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District 5.
Council President Bas is committed to a transparent, responsible and orderly transition of leadership and has been working with Oakland’s City Attorney and other city leaders and branches of government to plan a smooth transition and process for selecting Oakland’s next leadership.
“Oakland continues to focus on our mission of serving our residents and businesses and to advance our priorities for a clean, safe, housing secure and fiscally sustainable city. We are deeply grateful to all of our City leaders and to each of our employees for your dedication and hard work serving our beloved Oakland,” said Council President Bas. “Now, more than ever, it’s critical to come together to support a leadership transition that puts Oaklanders first for the betterment of our communities.”
Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker published a legal opinion on the “Process to Address Vacancies in the Office of the Mayor and District 2 Council Office and the 2025 Special Election.” This public legal opinion explains the applicable law that guides the process to address potential vacancies in the Office of the Mayor and the District 2 Council Office, including a 2025 special election or elections.
It is in the best interests of the City to consolidate the Mayoral and Council District 2 special elections on a single date and save hundreds of thousands of dollars for the City of Oakland. To achieve this, Council President Bas will submit a letter to the City Clerk on December 17, 2024 stating that she will resign as Councilmember of District 2, provided the election results are certified without subsequent challenge, effective at 11:00 a.m. on January 6, 2025.
The anticipated timeline and process for selecting Oakland’s next Mayor and District 2 Councilmember is described below:
December 5, 2024: Alameda County Registrar of Voters is expected to certify the election results by this date. Then the Oakland City Clerk will certify the election results and prepare a resolution for the City Council to declare the results.
December 17, 2024: The Oakland City Council will vote to declare the results of the November 5, 2024 election. It is anticipated that the City Council will declare the Office of Mayor vacant and the Council President will serve as interim Mayor until the vacancy is filled in a special election that is within 120 days of the vacancy. The President Pro Tempore will serve as acting Council President. It is also anticipated that the City Council will declare a vacancy in the Office of Council District 2 based upon the notice of resignation to the City Clerk and set the date of the special election for Mayor and District 2 Councilmember on Tuesday, April 15.
December 23, 2024: It is anticipated that the nominations period for Mayoral and District 2 Councilmember candidates would begin on Monday, December 23, 2024 and end on Friday, January 17, 2025.
January 6, 2025: The newly elected Councilmembers will be sworn in. The District 2 seat will be vacant, leaving seven Councilmembers. The seven remaining Councilmembers may adopt a motion by majority vote (i.e. an affirmative vote of four Councilmembers) to appoint a person to serve as the District 2 Councilmember until the election and swearing in of a new District 2 Councilmember. City Council will elect its Council President and President Pro Tempore. The Council President will serve as interim Mayor until the special election for Mayor and their swearing in, and the President Pro Tempore will serve as acting Council President.
January 17, 2025: The nomination period for Mayoral and District 2 Councilmember candidates is anticipated to close on this date.
April 15, 2024: The City of Oakland is anticipated to hold a special election for Mayor and District 2 Councilmember to complete the current term through January 4, 2027.
In summary, we anticipate that when the Mayor’s Office is declared vacant on December 17th that Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas will become interim Mayor and President Pro Tempore Dan Kalb will become acting Council President. Then on January 6, 2025, the newly elected Councilmembers will be sworn in and the City Council will elect its Council President and President Pro Tempore. The Council President will serve as interim Mayor until the special election for Mayor and their swearing in, and the President Pro Tempore will serve as acting Council President.
“I want to extend my appreciation to Mayor Sheng Thao and her staff for their dedication, leadership, and diligent work on behalf of our beloved Oakland,” said Council President Bas. “Our city’s leadership is united in our commitment to continue our mission of serving our residents and businesses and to advancing our priorities for a clean, safe, housing secure and fiscally sustainable city.”
Regarding the District 2 Council seat, Council President Bas will share more information prior to December 17th. “It has been a true honor to serve the diverse constituents of District 2,” she said. “Until a new Councilmember is elected, I am committed to making sure our residents and businesses receive critical city services in partnership with a caretaker Councilmember who understands the needs of our community.”
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