News

Oakland Voters Unhappy With the Way the City is Being Run

Published

6 years ago

October 9, 2020

By a margin of two-to-one, likely Oakland voters believe that Oakland is headed down the wrong track and they overwhelmingly disapprove of the job being done by the mayor and the city council.

The Jobs and Housing Coalition (JHC), a non-profit group devoted to economic growth and increased opportunities in Oakland, conducted a poll Sept. 26-28. The poll revealed that 52% of the city’s likely voters are unhappy with the direction of the city.

Dissatisfaction is strongest amongst minorities, with 60% of African Americans, 58% of Latinos, and 56% of Asian/Pacific Islanders sharing this opinion. They are joined by 41% of white voters.

These negative poll numbers are the latest in a downward trend. In 2016, only 23% of the city’s voters felt that the city was headed in the wrong direction. The number increased to 33% in 2017 and climbed to 36% in 2019, before increasing to 48% in February 2020 and reaching the current dissatisfaction rate of 52% last month.

Fifty-two percent of voters also said their quality of life had deteriorated over the last few years. African Americans, women, homeowners and longtime residents led the voter groups that said the quality of life has gotten worse in recent years.

Fifty percent of voters disapprove of the job Mayor Libby Schaaf is doing. Forty-four percent approve and 6% had no opinion. Of the 50% who disapprove, 28% strongly disapprove. Of the 44% who approve, only 12% strongly approve. This is a dramatic turnaround from 2016 when Mayor Schaaf had a 72% approval rating.

Likely voters are also dissatisfied with the performance of the city council. Fifty-five percent disapprove of the council’s performance. Again, minorities had the strongest negative opinions, with 62% of African Americans, 59% of Latinos, and 56% of Asian/Pacific Islanders sharing this opinion. They were joined by 41% of white voters.

“Some people claim that today’s voter pessimism is the result of the pandemic, however, given the steady increase of voter dissatisfaction over the past several years, increased pessimism cannot be blamed on the current pandemic, we must look elsewhere for that answer, “said Greg McConnell, president of JHC.

City Council Races

The JHC poll included several council races and the city attorney race. The margins of error in council races in districts one, five and seven were elevated, perhaps as high as 10%-12%. According to JHC’s pollster, these races are toss-ups, and to close to call. The common denominator is that most voters are undecided.

At-Large incumbent Rebecca Kaplan leads over challenger Derrek Johnson. The race tightens somewhat after positive statements are read about both Kaplan and Johnson.

In district three, challenger Carroll Fife holds a commanding lead over incumbent Lynette Gibson McElhaney.

The incumbent City Attorney Barbara Parker holds a sizeable lead over challenger Elias Ferran.

Why does JHC release their polls? McConnell said they do it as a public service so that everyone will have a better idea of what Oakland voters are thinking leading up to the election. “If people don’t like the poll results, they still have time to compete for the hearts and minds of the voters.”

Michelle Snider

Associate Editor for The Post News Group. Writer, Photographer, Videographer, Copy Editor, and website editor documenting local events in the Oakland-Bay Area California area.

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Michelle Snider

Associate Editor for The Post News Group. Writer, Photographer, Videographer, Copy Editor, and website editor documenting local events in the Oakland-Bay Area California area.

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Black History

HISTORY MADE: Keisha Lance Bottoms Becomes First Black Woman Elected Governor in American History

ATLANTA DAILY WORLD — History has been made in Georgia. Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, has been elected governor of Georgia, becoming the first Black woman in American history to win the highest executive office in any state.

Published

1 week ago

November 5, 2026

Post News Group

Keisha Lance Bottoms during her 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary victory speech. Photo: Sikis2021 / Wikimedia Commons.

History has been made in Georgia. Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, has been elected governor of Georgia, becoming the first Black woman in American history to win the highest executive office in any state.

Bottoms’ victory over Republican businessman Rick Jackson represents a defining moment in American politics, breaking a barrier that has stood since the nation’s founding and placing Georgia at the center of a historic political transformation.

For generations, Black women have played a critical role in American democracy, organizing communities, leading movements, mobilizing voters and shaping public policy. Yet despite their contributions, no Black woman had ever been elected governor of a U.S. state.

Until now.

Bottoms’ election also makes her the first woman and first Black person elected governor of Georgia, a state whose political history has been deeply shaped by slavery, segregation, the civil rights movement and the long struggle for equal representation.

Her victory carries particular significance in a state where Black women have been among the most influential forces in voter registration, political organizing and Democratic electoral success.

A fifth-generation Georgian, Bottoms previously served as Atlanta’s 60th mayor from 2018 to 2022. During her administration, she led the city through the COVID-19 pandemic, nationwide protests over racial injustice and a period of significant economic and population growth.

Following her time as mayor, Bottoms served as a senior adviser in President Joe Biden’s administration before returning to Georgia politics to pursue the governorship.

Her campaign focused on expanding access to health care, strengthening public education, increasing wages and addressing the rising cost of living. She also advocated for expanding Medicaid, raising Georgia’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and increasing compensation for teachers and other public employees.

Bottoms faced Jackson, a wealthy health care executive who invested heavily in his campaign and positioned himself as a political outsider. The contest drew national attention as Democrats sought to reclaim the Georgia governor’s office after more than two decades of Republican control.

The historic nature of Bottoms’ victory extends well beyond party politics.

Georgia, once at the center of some of America’s most consequential civil rights battles, has now elected a Black woman to lead its state government. It is a milestone that reflects generations of political participation, organizing and leadership by Black Georgians.

For Atlanta, the moment is especially significant. A former mayor of the city that helped shape the modern civil rights movement will now lead the entire state.

Bottoms’ election opens a new chapter in Georgia’s political history and establishes a milestone that will be remembered far beyond the 2026 election.

For continuing election coverage and results, visit AtlantaDailyWorld.com/election26.