Former Congresswoman Barbara Lee will be the next mayor of Oakland, California, marking a return to local leadership after more than two decades representing the city in Washington.
The veteran Democrat secured just over 50% of the vote, while Loren Taylor finished with close to 45%, according to theAlameda County Registrar of Voters. Taylor officially conceded the race on Saturday, April 19, bringing an end to a closely watched special election.
“While I believe strongly in respecting the democratic voting process and ballots will continue to be counted … the results are clear that the people of Oakland have elected me as your next Mayor,” Lee said in a statement. “Thank you, Oakland!”
Lee, a trailblazer in progressive politics, retired from Congress last year after an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate. Her campaign for mayor focused on bridging divides in a city facing serious challenges.
“Oakland is a deeply divided City, and I answered the call to run, to unite our community—so that I can represent every voter and we can all work together as One Oakland to solve our most pressing problems,” she said in a statement shared on social media. She also thanked the hundreds of volunteers and endorsers who fueled her campaign, highlighting efforts like 71 house parties, thousands of yard signs, and over 150,000 pieces of voter information distributed across the city.
In a statement posted to X, Taylor congratulated Lee and acknowledged the impact of his supporters. “While the outcome was not what we worked for and hoped for, I am incredibly proud of the race we ran,” he wrote. “I pray that Mayor-Elect Lee fulfills her commitment to unify Oakland by authentically engaging the 47% of Oaklanders who voted for me and who want pragmatic, results-driven leadership.” He also noted the grassroots strength of his campaign, which he said pushed back against heavy spending by political insiders and labor unions.
The special election was triggered after voters recalled former Mayor Sheng Thao in November amid rising frustration over crime and city leadership. On the same day, voters also recalled the district attorney. Thao, who had been in office for just two years, became the subject of an FBI investigation and was later indicted on bribery charges.