Former Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., defeated former Oakland City Council member Loren Taylor in Oakland’s special election for mayor, following months of uncertainty for the struggling city.
While Taylor made inroads as a relative political outsider with campaign finance reports revealing he outraised the career California politician, Lee was ultimately triumphant following Friday’s ranked choice tallies.
The race for mayor had been too close to call on Tuesday night following Oakland’s April 15 special election as Taylor maintained a slight lead over Lee, with just over a thousand more votes in his favor. Oakland follows a ranked choice voting system, where candidates with the least votes are eliminated as voters’ backup choices get a boost in the tally.
The liberal-run city has had four different mayors in a four-month period after Mayor Sheng Thao was recalled this November and subsequently indicted on eight counts of bribery. Oakland has been without a clear leader this year as the city continues to grapple with ongoing crises.
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Former Rep. Barbara Lee wins Oakland’s mayoral special election. (Getty Images)
Taylor’s campaign to finish out Thao’s term was aimed at shaking up the political “status quo” and restoring Oaklanders’ faith in their politicians after months of uncertainty. Taylor’s policy platform highlighted public safety initiatives, budget stabilization to avoid bankruptcy, anti-corruption and increased efficiency at City Hall, tackling homelessness and boosting the local economy.
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Mayoral candidate Loren Taylor, right, arrives with his wife Erica, left, before casting his ballot for the Oakland special election at Eastmont Mall in Oakland on April 15, 2025. (San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
There were 5,490 homeless people in Oakland in 2024, a…
