Oakland City Council

The Oakland City Council is an elected group that helps govern the city of Oakland, California. It makes important decisions for the community and works together with the mayor.

Since 1998, Oakland has used a system called mayor-council government. The mayor is chosen by voters for a four-year term. The Oakland City Council has eight members. Seven of them represent different areas, or districts, of the city, and one is elected to represent the whole city. These council members serve four-year terms, but the terms are arranged so not all members are elected at the same time. They are chosen using a voting method called instant-runoff voting.

The mayor picks a city administrator to help run the city’s daily work, but the city council must agree to this choice. There are also other important city positions, such as the city attorney, who is elected, the city auditor, who is also elected, and the city clerk, who is chosen by the city administrator. The mayor can only serve two terms, but city council members do not have term limits.

Current Council

The Oakland City Council is the group of leaders chosen by people living in Oakland, California to help make decisions for the city. Since 1998, Oakland has had a system where a mayor and a council work together to lead the city. The mayor is chosen to serve for four years at a time.

Past Councils

2012 members

• District 1 – Dan Kalb (2013)
• District 2 – Patricia Kernighan (also Council President) (2005, ...) (re-elected 2010)
• District 3 – Lynette Gibson McElhaney (2013)
• District 4 – Libby Schaaf (2011, ...) (elected 2010)
• District 5 – Noel Gallo (2013)
• District 6 – Desley Brooks (2002, ...) (elected 2002, 2006, 2010)
• District 7 – Larry Reid (also Vice Mayor) (1997, ...) (re-elected in 2004, 2008, and 2012)
• Councilmember At Large – Rebecca Kaplan (also President Pro Tempore) (2009, ...) (2008, reelected in 2012)

2016 members

• District 1 – Dan Kalb (2012)
• District 2 – Abel J. Guillen (elected 2014)
• District 3 – Lynette Gibson McElhaney (2012) (also Council President)
• District 4 – Annie Campbell Washington (2014)
• District 5 – Noel Gallo (2012)
• District 6 – Desley Brooks (2002, ...) (elected 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014)
• District 7 – Larry Reid (also President Pro Tempore) (1997, ...) (re-elected in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016)
• Councilmember At Large – Rebecca Kaplan (also Vice Mayor) (2009, ...) (2008, reelected in 2012, 2016)

2018 members

• District 1 – Dan Kalb (elected in 2012, 2016) (President Pro Tempore)
• District 2 – Nikki Fortunato Bas (elected in 2018)
• District 3 – Lynette Gibson McElhaney (elected in 2012,2016) (also Council President)
• District 4 – Sheng Thao (elected in 2018)
• District 5 – Noel Gallo (elected in 2012, 2016)
• District 6 – Loren Taylor (elected in 2018)
• District 7 – Larry Reid (elected in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016) (Vice Mayor)
• Councilmember At Large – Rebecca Kaplan (elected in 2008, 2012, 2016) (City Council Chair)

Former Councilmembers

Many people have served on the Oakland City Council over the years. Some of them include Frank H. Ogawa, who was the first Japanese American on the council and served from 1966 until 1994. Jean Quan was a councilmember for District 4 from 2003 to 2011 and later became mayor. Nancy Nadel served from 1996 to 2012, and Ignacio De La Fuente served from 1992 to 2012. Others who served include John A. Russo, Danny Wan, Wilson Riles, Libby Schaaf, Desley Brooks, Sheng Thao, Abel Guillen, and Annie Campbell Washington.