Frequently Asked Questions
The primary role of an Oakland City Councilmember is to establish city policies, pass local laws, and approve the city's budget. Councilmembers also have an oversight role over city contracts and voter-approved ballot measures. They work in collaboration with the Mayor, City Administrator, Department Heads, and elected leaders at various levels of government to collaborate on key issues that residents face.
Oakland City Councilmembers set the policy and budget for the city - but do not have the administrative power to enforce it. They cannot direct city staff or department heads to specifically do or stop doing something - but can uplift the concerns that their constituents raise. For example, Councilmembers do not have the authority to direct transportation workers to fill specific potholes or assign police officers to patrol certain areas.
There are seven Councilmembers who each represent a specific district, and one At-Large Councilmember who represents the entire city. Each serve four-year terms.
Regular elections for these roles are held every even-year November. In November 2026, there will be elections for Oakland Mayor, Councilmembers for Districts 2, 4, 6, and for the City Auditor. In November 2028, there will be elections for Councilmembers for Districts 1, 3, 5, 7 and At-Large, and for the City Attorney. Elected officials in Oakland are non-partisan, and there are no primary elections.
The Oakland City Councilmembers, Mayor, City Attorney, and City Auditor have four-year terms. The Mayor may serve a maximum of two terms, and Councilmembers may serve a maximum of three terms.
A special election is an election that occurs outside of the typical biennial schedule of major elections. In the case of special elections for elected officials, these are typically called when there is an unexpected vacancy. Unexpected vacancies can happen for a variety of reasons, including an official winning an election for a new position, a successful recall, passing away, resigning, etc.
There are two ways for a proposal to appear on voter ballots. One way is by City Councilmembers, who work with the City Attorney to craft a legally permissible ballot measure, typically to amend the City Charter, or raise or lower certain forms of taxes. Another way of getting on the ballot is by a community-led process. Community members must engage in a signature-gathering campaign to be certified to appear on the ballot; elected officials cannot be involved in this process.
Oakland's bi-ennial budget is approximately $4.2 Billion. About 60% of Oakland's budget is called "restricted funds" - which come from grants and voter-approved bond measures for specific purposes, including affordable housing, infrastructure, public safety, etc. The other 40% of the City budget is called "general purpose funds," and is where City Council can decide how to spend with certain legal limitations and state/federal guidelines.
About 19 cents per dollar goes to the City of Oakland. The rest goes to other government agencies, including Alameda County, EBMUD, AC Transit, and Oakland Unified School District.
No - the finances and governance of Oakland public schools falls under the purview of the Oakland Unified School District. However, there are a number of programs that City Councilmembers fund that may have an impact on school-age youth, including traffic safety, violence prevention programs, summer meals, and rec centers.
No - these are tasks that fall under the responsibilities of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. However, there are programs that the city does fund to support and amplify the reach of County programs, including MACRO non-emergency response and certain kinds of homelessness services through community-based nonprofits.
