2024 VOTER GUIDE

Nikki Fortunato Bas was elected as Oakland District 2 Councilmember in 2018 and currently serves as Council President. She has lived in District 2 of Oakland for 20 years. Prior to being elected as the first Filipina-American councilmember in Oakland, she was a lifelong community organizer. Nikki has dedicated her career to advocating for working people, low-income communities, and small businesses.

Nikki’s leadership and commitment across decades of experience positions her as a champion for Alameda County and its constituents. From her work as Executive Director of the East Bay Alliance for Sustainable Economy, to her current position as Oakland City Council President, her deep belief in governing with residents and equitable democracy is evident in her principled partnerships with community organizations and the accomplishments we have won together. On the Oakland City Council, Nikki led efforts to secure $350M for up to 2,400 housing units for homeless and working families; established a $14M fund to assist low-income, housing-insecure tenants to purchase homes; expanded violence prevention and anti-sex trafficking programs; and launched Fire Department mobile crisis teams to address mental health and 911 calls.  

Nikki has been a leader in reimagining public safety. For example, she has helped expand Mobile Crisis Response Teams to address mental health emergencies and other non-violent situations with care and compassion. We support Nikki Fortunato Bas because of her progressive, values-aligned leadership, with economic justice at its core. We look forward to working with her to advance county policies on budget transparency, tenant protections, and economic recovery for workers and small businesses. Vote for Nikki Fortunato Bas for Alameda County District 5 Supervisor!

Councilmember Fife was elected to represent District 3 in 2020 and is doing a phenomenal job representing the needs of workers, renters, and BIPOC communities. She is one of the founding members of Moms for Housing, and has fought both in the halls of power and in the streets to protect the human right to housing.

As a Councilmember, Fife has been a leader in addressing housing needs in Oakland. She introduced resoundingly popular ballot measures for authorizing low-rent housing, expanded tenant protections, and identified funding sources for affordable housing. She led the effort to establish the Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District. Councilmember Fife was key to creating a progressive tax structure on big business to ensure our communities get the resources we need. We believe that she will not only continue to wholeheartedly listen to marginalized communities in Oakland, but also that she will address their needs by focusing on increasing affordable housing, better trash collection and illegal dumping prevention so that we have a clean city for all, and proven community safety solutions.

As Oakland’s Chief Assistant City Attorney, Ryan has dedicated over a decade to serving our community with integrity and commitment. With a background in public interest law and a focus on police accountability, housing rights, and public safety, Ryan has consistently fought for a more just and equitable Oakland.

Ryan’s platform emphasizes transparency, accountability, and protecting the rights of all Oakland residents. He advocates for a holistic approach to public safety, ensuring that city resources are used effectively to benefit the entire community. His deep understanding of the legal challenges facing Oakland, combined with his unwavering commitment to justice, makes him the ideal candidate to lead the City Attorney’s office.

In these times, Oakland needs a City Attorney who not only understands the law, but also recognizes its power to effect positive change. Under Ryan Richardson’s leadership, the City Attorney’s office will continue to serve as a champion for equity, transparency, and the rights of all Oaklanders. Join us in supporting Ryan Richardson for Oakland City Attorney—let’s build a more just and equitable Oakland together.

Zac has been a leader in raising revenue to ensure the City can provide the services our communities need. This includes his leadership role in passing Measure T, a progressive tax that ensures corporations pay their fair share for key services to our neighborhoods. 

Zac, who is President of the International Association of Firefighters Local 55, has also been a leader on community safety. He has done so through the creation of MACRO, an alternative response program housed in the Fire Department and through serving on the steering committees for public safety-improving Measures Y and Z. If elected, Zac aims to create housing for everyone in Oakland, focusing on projects with affordable units, along with making Oakland one of the greenest cities in the country. Zac’s diverse experiences as a community leader, public worker, and union head assure us that he will fairly represent everyday District 1 Oaklanders!



With over a decade of residency in the district and a professional background as a nurse midwife, Rachel brings a unique and compassionate perspective to the table. Her extensive experience as a parent of three children in OUSD schools and her deep involvement in grassroots organizing make her the ideal candidate to advocate for equitable and inclusive education policies.

Rachel’s commitment to educational equity is evident through her work with Equity Allies for OUSD. At Equity Allies, she played a crucial role in supporting Measure QQ, allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in school board elections. She has also been a vocal advocate for the creation of an Equity Fund, aimed at redistributing resources to the most underfunded schools in Oakland, ensuring that all students have access to quality education, regardless of their background.

Rachel’s platform emphasizes the importance of transparency, community engagement, and systemic change within OUSD. She is dedicated to addressing the disparities in the district and ensuring that every child, regardless of socioeconomic status, has the opportunity to succeed. Her focus on integrated schools, restorative justice, and equitable resource allocation aligns perfectly with the values of Bay Rising Action.

Join us in supporting Rachel Latta for OUSD School Board, District 1—together, we can create a more just and equitable future for all Oakland students.

As an educator with over 20 years of experience in social and ethnic studies, VanCedric has been a steadfast advocate for equity and justice in our schools. His deep commitment to serving underserved communities in the Bay Area is evident in his tireless work on the OUSD board.

VanCedric’s platform is rooted in the belief that every student deserves access to high-quality education and comprehensive support services. He is a champion of the community schools model, which integrates academic learning with critical wrap-around services addressing mental health, socio-emotional well-being, and other student needs. He has also been a strong voice against school closures and mergers, recognizing the disproportionate impact these actions have on low-income and minority communities.

Throughout his tenure on the school board, VanCedric has consistently pushed for transparency, budget accountability, and the recruitment and retention of educators of color. He understands that rebuilding trust between OUSD and the community is essential for the success of our students and the future of Oakland.

VanCedric Williams is the bold, courageous leader our schools need. We believe that under his continued leadership, District 3 will see meaningful progress towards educational equity and justice.

Sasha is a passionate advocate for educational equity, with a deep commitment to serving the diverse communities of Oakland’s Fruitvale district and beyond. Her extensive experience as a community organizer and her role as coordinator for the Bay Area Coalition for Education Justice have equipped her with the skills and vision needed to make a lasting impact on Oakland’s public schools.

Sasha’s platform is centered on ensuring that every student in Oakland has a high-quality education. She is a strong proponent of fully implementing reparations for Black students, upholding the rights granted by Measure QQ to allow students to vote in school board elections, and enforcing Measure S to empower immigrant communities with the right to vote in school elections. Sasha is also committed to fighting against the privatization of public schools and preventing closures that disproportionately affect low-income and minority families.

As an Afro-Latina and queer candidate, Sasha brings a unique and inclusive perspective to the school board. Her focus on transparency, collaboration, and community engagement reflects her dedication to creating an education system that truly serves all of Oakland’s students and families. With the backing of Oakland Rising Action, Oakland Education Association, and other local leaders, Sasha is poised to be a transformative voice on the school board.

We believe Sasha Ritzie-Hernandez is the leader District 5 needs to champion equity, justice, and inclusivity in our schools. Join us in supporting Sasha for OUSD School Board, District 5—let’s build a brighter future for all Oakland students together.



Jovanka is an experienced leader with progressive vision grounded in community organizing.  She immigrated to the US as a child. She has worked for decades in public health as a mental health clinician. She also works with some of the most negatively impacted, impoverished, and marginalized children and families in Contra Costa County. Long engaged in her community as an organizer and activist, Jovanka was first elected to the Richmond City Council, where she continued to fight for justice. She was instrumental in winning local policies, including: banning the box (removing the criminal history checkbox) on City job applications; expanding access to local identification cards; passing rent control; and raising the minimum wage. Jovanka has also consistently pushed to hold corporate polluters accountable. She was elected to the AC Transit Board in 2020. Jovanka Beckles is ready to make California a state that works for the many, and not just the few.  From quality healthcare and housing, to reproductive and environmental justice, we are excited to support Jovanka Beckles for State Senate.

MEASURES

VOTE NO - ON THE RIGHT-WING RECALL OF MAYOR SHENG THAO

With crime on the decline and Oakland finally getting back on track after the pandemic, we can’t afford to remove Mayor Sheng Thao from office and leave our city rudderless. This recall was primarily funded by one right-wing Piedmont hedge fund manager, not Oakland residents. Vote NO on this recall or risk cuts to critical services and severe government dysfunction and chaos.

Thao faced a very challenging situation coming into office: federal COVID relief funds were ending, Oakland was still struggling to recover economically from the pandemic, and crime was increasing.  Since she has been mayor she has begun to address all these issues balancing the budget while preserving as many city programs as possible. Crime is actually going down now thanks to collaborative violence prevention programs the Mayor’s office has championed. We still have a long way to go to address these serious issues facing Oakland and we need her in office to make sure this progress continues. 

If this recall proceeds, there will be no leadership to get things done with potentially two interim Mayors before a special election could be held in the Spring 2025. And, when that special election is called, it will cost taxpayers millions to hold, which will take away funding for our programs and services in our community. Oakland needs stable leadership in the Mayor’s office that will advance affordable housing, increase support to our small businesses, improve our youth, expand access to quality jobs and address dumping and trash on our streets. We need everyone to stand up to this attack on Oakland voters and our democratic process. Vote No on the recall of Mayor Sheng Thao.

VOTE NO - ON THE ANTI-DEMOCRATIC RECALL OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY PAMELA PRICE

Pamela Price has been a steadfast proponent of criminal justice reform and community safety, working tirelessly to address the root causes of crime and ensure justice for all. This recall is a right-wing-funded distraction from the progress we’ve made—let’s keep our democratically-elected DA in office and continue moving forward together.  

District Attorney Pam Price is being recalled even though she has been doing an amazing job and has not broken any law as an elected official that would justify her early removal from office. The record shows that she is prosecuting crimes at the same rate as every prior DA while at the same time investing in violence prevention programs and rehabilitation to actually reduce crime.  She has implemented programs that have put mentally ill and youth in the appropriate care to prevent future crime. 

If DA Price recalled things are going to get worse not better. Voters would have no voice until 2028 because the DA would be appointed. Critical programs Price has put in place to keep Alameda County safe would be in jeopardy. 

The  ACLU and Alameda Democratic party are against the recall because it is completely unjustified.   Our decisions as voters should be respected.  Vote no on the Recall of District Attorney Pam Price.

MEASURE MM

VOTE YES – Fund Wildfire Prevention

With the increasing risk of wildfires, the Oakland hills continue to be in serious danger. The most efficient way to combat wildfires is through a prevention plan that includes tree and vegetation management, inspection of high-risk sites, and coordination among agencies and community partners. Measure MM will fund these efforts with a parcel tax ONLY on the directly impacted zone in the hills. There is an exemption in the tax for low-income households.

MEASURE NN

VOTE YES – Fund Violence Prevention

Measure NN is essential to addressing the safety challenges we are experiencing in Oakland. Measure NN renews an existing measure that funds violence reduction services & community policing.  This measure funds quicker 911 response times, critical intervention programs like Ceasefire to reduce gun violence, and proven community-based programs to keep youth off the streets including job training, high school graduation assistance, and mental health services. This is the third reauthorization of a parking and parcel tax to fund violence prevention services in the city of Oakland. It would also establish a new oversight commission to oversee violence reduction plans for Oakland and ensure funds are used effectively.

MEASURE OO

VOTE YES – Strengthen Public Ethics Oversight

Measure OO will strengthen the city’s anti-corruption laws in important ways by establishing new rules: limiting gifts from lobbyists, addressing commissioner conflicts of interest, and ensuring capacity to implement voter-approved programs like Democracy Dollars. The Oakland Public Ethics Commission is the city’s watchdog on government ethics and accountability. Measure OO will update the governance of the commission to incorporate best practices known to be effective in other nearby cities. We know good governance requires good oversight. Vote Yes on OO to support more transparency and effective oversight.

STATEWIDE MEASURES

Prop 2 - YES Fund Our Schools and Community Colleges

Students deserve to learn in a safe and healthy environment, but recent data shows that over one-third of California students are enrolled in a school that doesn’t meet minimum facility standards. Due to delays in repair and renovation, many districts have resorted to repurposing gymnasiums as cafeterias and using auxiliary classrooms. 

 Prop 2 would enable California to borrow $10 billion to allow schools and community colleges to address hazardous mold, leaky roofs, and septic systems; build classrooms; modernize science labs; and replace aging buildings. If this bond does not pass, the current funds for school repairs will be completely depleted by January 2025. 

 Research indicates that student learning is boosted when education facilities are modernized, climate-controlled, and have updated electrical infrastructure. Voting YES on Proposition 2 will provide a meaningful funding stream to allow more students to have access to technology and classroom environments that will improve learning outcomes. 

This bond will also go to community colleges, whose student population is disproportionately low-income and BIPOC. Students of color make up 60% of community college enrollment in California. Funding repairs and ensuring basic health standards are met is also about ensuring community college students get to feel safe on campuses, just like their counterparts at more affluent colleges.

Prop 3 - YES Protect the Freedom to Marry in the CA Constitution

California’s Constitution retains language that “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” While landmark decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court have rendered this language unenforceable, recent decisions have shown that the Supreme Court is willing to upend decades of precedent and revoke hard-earned rights. This type of non-inclusive, heteronormative language hurts LGBTQIA+ communities and has no place in our state constitution. Prop 3 will wipe discrimination from the California Constitution and protect the fundamental right to marry for same-sex and interracial couples.

While marriage equality is protected nationally, LGBTQIA+ communities continue to be targeted by discriminatory legislation across the country. A YES vote would reaffirm California’s commitment to protecting the rights of these communities.

Prop 4 - YES Fund Environmental Justice

Prop 4 would allow California to borrow $10 billion to fund climate preparedness in state and local parks, environmental protection projects, and flood protection projects.  

 This proposition would enable the state to raise funds urgently needed for a variety of climate projects, including: $3.8 billion for safe drinking and groundwater projects, 

$1.5 billion for wildfire protections, 

$1.2 billion for coastal infrastructure efforts, 

$1.2 billion to protect biodiversity, 

and $450 million for extreme heat mitigation. 

With a focus on water, wildfire, and the coast, this funding is designed to create present-day solutions that will stop or reverse existing climate challenges and mitigate the need for more expensive projects in the future. 

 Over 1 million Californians do not have easy access to safe, affordable, and clean drinking water. This bond money would help change that by funding projects to keep toxic pollution out of our water and improve air quality. At least 40% of the money in this bond would go towards projects that address issues faced by low-income communities, disproportionately impacted by climate change. 

 Living in a safe and clean environment is a basic human right. A YES vote on Prop 4 will help ensure that right for communities throughout our state, even as the climate crisis gets worse.

Prop 5 - YES Make It Easier to Fund Housing and Infrastructure Projects

California is facing a housing crisis, with a growing number of families facing homelessness and and struggling with high housing costs. At the same time, our critical infrastructure like roads, bridges, and water systems is aging and becoming unsafe.

 Our local governments are limited in their ability to address these problems because state law currently restricts the ability of local voters to approve housing and public infrastructure bonds for their communities. Right now, a minority of voters are able to block funding for these critical needs because any new bond has to get support from two-thirds of voters, instead of a simple majority. Prop 5 empowers local voters to approve bonds for affordable housing, critical public infrastructure, and emergency response in our communities with a 55% vote – as long as those bonds have strict accountability and oversight.  

 Our cities and counties should have the tools we need to improve our neighborhoods and address community needs. If Prop 5 passes, it will be easier for local governments to borrow money to fund affordable housing and permanent supportive housing, public infrastructure projects to protect property from sea level rise, control floods, improve streets and highways, expand broadband internet access, and build more local hospitals, community parks, recreation facilities, and public libraries. We’re recommending a YES on Prop 5 so cities can use all the tools in their toolkits to give community members what we need to thrive.  

Prop 6 - YES Ban Slavery In California

In our state constitution, slavery is prohibited except as punishment for a crime. This discriminatory language reflects the troubling notion that people who are incarcerated are less than human and not deserving of basic rights like the rest of us. Considering that a disproportionate number of incarcerated people are Black, Latinx, and Indigenous, the racist implications of this language become clear. Advocates have called this line in our state constitution an extension of slavery, granting our state the power to force incarcerated people to work with nearly zero pay, under harsh working conditions, and without a say in what kind of work they do. This type of labor wouldn’t be acceptable anywhere else, and it shouldn’t be acceptable in our legal system either.

 This November, California voters have the opportunity to remove this discriminatory language from our state constitution and ban forced prison labor by voting YES on Prop 6. Passing Proposition 6 would join California with over 30 other states that have struck down the archaic practice of involuntary servitude in their state constitutions.

Most people who are forced to do labor in prisons get paid between $0.08-0.74 an hour, a wage that would sound the alarm bells if it were being paid to any other employees and bring lawsuits against any other employers. While the measure doesn’t guarantee an improvement in the pay scale for people who are incarcerated, it opens up a possibility that they would be paid minimum wage for the work they did. What Prop 6 would guarantee is that workers wouldn’t be forced to perform work they didn’t want to.

Prop 32 - YES Raise the State Minimum Wage To $18/Hour

The last time California raised its minimum wage was in 2016. While the cost of everything – housing, gas, food, tuition – has gone up in the past 8 years, the minimum wage has not kept up with the full cost of living. By raising the minimum wage to $18/hour, more Californians will be able to pay their bills, afford housing, get the healthcare they need, and even seek a higher education without taking on mountains of debt. We’ll also be sending a message that all labor is skilled, all labor is important, and all labor deserves a thriving wage. 

 California currently has the eight-highest income inequality in the country, which pushes many working-class households into poverty. Instead of punishing people for being poor through harsh crime measures, Prop 32 will help make sure that more Californians have what they need to succeed, getting to the root cause of why crime happens in the first place. 

Prop 33 - YES Make It Easier for Californians to Have Rent Control

Many of us struggle to pay rent. California has the second-highest monthly rent rate in the country, and Bay Area rents are among the worst. Homelessness is also growing in California faster than in any other state in the country. For too long, greedy developers and corporate landlords have dictated the housing market, leaving working-class communities to foot bills that we could never afford with our wages. 

 A key solution to our affordable housing crisis is rent control. This November, voters will get a chance to make it easier for local governments to put caps on how much landlords can increase the rent for tenants. Prop 33 would repeal a state law that bans local governments from capping rent on certain units, giving room to better control rent spikes.  

We all deserve to stay in the places we call home – but with sky-high rent increases, working-class families and community members are getting pushed out of their homes. Let’s make it easier for local governments to cap rent increases and allow working people to afford their rent.

Prop 34 - NEUTRAL Make It Harder to Pass Rent Control

Proposition 34 is a real estate industry effort targeting the AIDS Healthcare Foundation to keep the organization from funding future ballot initiatives. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation is the only organization in the state that would meet the criteria outlined in the measure. This measure is backed by the real estate industry and is a veiled attack on the foundation because it has put a lot of money into supporting rent control efforts in recent years. Meant to deceive voters under the guise of being about healthcare, Prop 34 will prevent the AIDS Foundation from funding rent control measures in the future. 

Technically, it would require California healthcare providers who meet specific criteria to spend at least 98% of profits from drug sale revenue on direct patient care.

Prop 35 - NEUTRAL Protect Access to Free and Affordable Healthcare

Prop 35 would help raise more money for Medi-Cal, a health insurance plan for low-income Californians. Over 15 million Californians depend on Medi-Cal for health care. Children, people with disabilities, and elders particularly lean on Medi-Cal. But without adequate funding, Medi-Cal may not be able to continue to be a lifeline for millions in our state. 

 The money that Prop 35 would generate would be raised through a permanent tax on certain health insurance providers without imposing any taxes on individuals. The measure would ensure that the money is used for its intended purpose – to fund Medi-Cal – by preventing lawmakers from rerouting the funds towards something else and requiring that 99% of the funding to go directly to patient care. 

 The funding raised would be used to hire more first responders and paramedics to reduce emergency response times, address workforce shortages, expand access to preventative health care, reduce wait times in emergency rooms, and for specific care such as family planning, cancer treatment, and mental health treatment.

Prop 36 - NO Roll Back Progressive Criminal Justice Reform

It’s no secret that crime has been at the top of Californians’ minds for years now. No matter our zipcode, background, or political party, we all want to feel safe when we go out into our neighborhoods. That’s why it’s understandable that quick fixes like Prop 36 to address complex issues like public safety may seem appealing. But this dangerous measure would actually reduce investment in proven strategies to support those most at risk.  During the past ten years, we changed the government’s response to people in our communities making mistakes or being involved in a crime, by giving second chances and supporting people through rehabilitation. As a result, the number of repeat crimes have been reduced by more than half, and people in our communities have been getting help with returning to their neighborhoods.

 In 2014, California voters passed Proposition 47 with over 59% of the vote to reclassify some non-violent crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, including low-value shoplifting. This change effectively reduced the state’s prison burden and allowed the government to divert funds previously used for incarceration to rehabilitation and re-entry programs. Proposition 36 would upend the progress that Proposition 47 established to increase community investment in real solutions to crime including: mental health services, substance use treatment, and diversion programs, and refocus on mass incarceration.  Proposition 36 would increase the sentence for possession of certain quantities of illegal drugs, adding fentanyl to the list of illegal drugs that can warrant a felony charge, and making low-value property theft a felony for repeat offenders. Voting NO will ensure that California remains focused on rehabilitation and re-entry programs for individuals involved in low-level crime. 

 A fiscal impact statement associated with Proposition 36 estimates that it will ultimately result in a price tag of hundreds of millions of dollars annually in court costs and the expense of housing an increased prison population. Voting NO will allow these critical funds to continue to be spent on truancy, youth services, rehabilitation, and substance use treatment programs.  

Californians deserve real answers to crime, not just a reactionary, haphazardly-designed measure that would only take us backwards in the progress we’ve made with criminal justice reform and fail to address the root causes of crime. NO on Prop 36.