Empower Oakland Voter Guide
Your best source for carefully-researched, fair and honest information for the April 15, 2025 Special Municipal Election in Oakland.
OUR 2025 ENDORSEMENTS
Hear from the candidates! Check out our comprehensive list of candidate forums.
Explaining Our Endorsements
While making our endorsements and creating this voter guide, we strived for thoroughness and inclusivity, and we share the materials we based our decisions on freely. Learn more about Empower Oakland’s endorsement process.
Oakland Mayor (# 1 Choice)
Vote for Loren Taylor
Loren Taylor is the most prepared candidate to be Mayor of Oakland, and all Oakland voters should rank him #1. He is the only viable candidate with experience in City Hall — and the only one championing common sense, practical ideas to improve our city. In fact, many of Oakland’s most popular reforms originated from Taylor, and are now being embraced by multiple Mayoral candidates and other leaders. He’s also presented by far the most detailed policy positions and practical plans across public safety, housing, budget stabilization, business revitalization, and government accountability.
Oakland Mayor Candidate Information
| Candidate | Profession | Questionnaire | Interview |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyron C. Jordan | Paralegal | Did not return questionnaire | No Interview |
| Peter Liu | Entertainer | Did not return questionnaire | No Interview |
| Renia Janeen Webb | Educator/Safety Legislator | Did not return questionnaire | No Interview |
| Elizabeth Swaney | Engineer/Businessperson/Educator | Read It | No Interview |
| President Cristina Grappo | Provider | Read It | No Interview |
| Barbara Lee | Member of Congress, retired | Read it | Watch it |
| Suz Robinson | VP Governance | Did not return questionnaire | No Interview |
| Loren Manuel Taylor | Engineer/Businessperson/Educator | Read it | Watch It |
| Eric Simpson | Union Factory Worker | Did not return questionnaire | No Interview |
| Mindy Ruth Pechenuk | Educator/Researcher | Read it | No Interview |
Member of City Council, District 2 (# 1 Choice)
Vote for Charlene Wang
Charlene Wang brings a unique combination of passion and policy expertise that will be an incredible asset to the Oakland City Council. She consistently pairs thoughtful analysis of Oakland’s problems with innovative, practical policy fixes and a detail-oriented approach. Wang’s energetic approach to community engagement could dramatically improve the ailing relationship between City Council and District 2 residents.
We encourage you to watch Charlene Wang’s in-person interview and read her responses to our questionnaire.
We urge all District 2 residents to rank Charlene Wang #1 on their ballot.
Member of City Council, District 2 (# 2 Choice)
Vote for Harold Lowe
Harold Lowe is a staunch community advocate in District 2. He brings decades of diverse civic experience, and would be one of the few Oakland politicians with business experience.
Lowe comes from a long line of union members and has held over 30 positions in the Oakland community during his long period of community service. His stances on public safety and the budget could be critical voices in Oakland.
We encourage you to watch Harold Lowe’s in-person interview and read his responses to our questionnaire.
We recommend District 2 voters rank Harold Lowe as #2 on their ballot.
Member of City Council, District 2 Candidate Information
| Candidate | Profession | Questionnaire | Interview |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paula F.L. Thomas | Commercial Property Manager | Did not return questionnaire | No Interview |
| Rev Kenneth Anderson | Pastor | Did not return questionnaire | No Interview |
| Kanitha Matoury | Proprietor/Chef | Read It | Watch It |
| Charlene Wang | Civil Rights Advisor | Read It | Watch It |
| Kara Murray-Badal | Housing Policy Director | Did not return questionnaire | No Interview |
| Harold Lowe III | Financial Planner/Consultant | Read it | Watch it |
Measure A: Sales Tax Increase
Vote Yes
Empower Oakland endorses Measure A — not because it’s a perfect solution, but because the consequences of rejecting this measure could be devastating to the city’s fiscal solvency. We take serious issue with how we got here. Oakland’s budget crisis is years in the making, driven by an overreliance on one-time fixes (e.g. asset sales and federal grants) and irresponsible spending (e.g. city employee compensation that grew 2.5x faster than inflation).
However, Oakland’s financial reality cannot be ignored. Without this additional sales tax revenue, the city faces fire station closures, even longer police response times, and deeper cuts to essential services. The status quo is simply untenable for Oakland’s businesses and residents.
We urge all Oakland voters to vote “Yes” on Measure A.
Ad paid for by Empower Oakland (EmpowerOak) Committee PO Box 7669 Oakland #1466279 Major Funding provided by/Ad Committee’s Top Funders:
Christian Larsen
Gagan Biyani
A Better Bay Area
In the amount of $200,500. Not authorized by or coordinated with any City candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate or election official. Funding details are available on the Oakland Public Ethics Commission’s website. Total cost of this communication is: $5,142.96
