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.
