Our Endorsement Process

Our endorsements reflect Empower Oakland’s mission to create a better future for Oaklanders. We strived for thoroughness and inclusivity as we evaluated candidates’ knowledge, experience, and readiness to deliver measurable outcomes and positive impact. Over the course of four weeks, our committee dedicated more than 250 hours to crafting detailed questionnaires, interviewing dozens of candidates, and thoughtfully deliberating these local races. 

Here are some key details about our process: 

1. The Empower Oakland Endorsement Committee is made up of everyday Oaklanders who represent diverse perspectives, are deeply knowledgeable about Oakland, and are committed to our mission. 
2. We created detailed candidate questionnaires specific to each race, reflecting the top issues we believe can deliver the well-functioning, just, economically vibrant, and safe city and county that Oaklanders deserve.
3. All candidates who qualified to be on the ballot were invited to participate by submitting a response to our candidate questionnaire. (You can read all submitted questionnaires in our Voter Guide.) 
4. For certain races, candidates were also invited to engage in an in-person interview with the committee. (You can watch the interview videos.)
5. For each Measure, we reviewed the full text, the independent analyses from both the City Attorney and City Auditor, and the official arguments for and against that are included with the full text of each Measure. Additionally, representatives argued for and against each of the Measures to the Empower Oakland Endorsement Committee, (with the exception of the opposition to Measure OO, due to scheduling conflicts).
6. During endorsement deliberations, the committee took an initial blind vote without discussion. If the initial vote did not pass the 60% threshold, the committee would debate and vote again until the 60% threshold was reached for each endorsement. 
7. Whenever appropriate, members of our committee recused themselves from votes if they had close personal conflicts with candidates and/or campaigns. 

These endorsements are more than just recommendations – they are a reflection of our vision for a more inclusive, vibrant, and forward-thinking Oakland. We are confident these individuals will work tirelessly to serve our community and drive Oakland forward.