Oakland mayoral candidates make push to increase voter turnout for special election
With just days remaining before Tuesday's special election, Oakland mayoral candidates Barbara Lee and Loren Taylor spent the weekend canvassing neighborhoods across the city, urging residents to turn in their ballots amid what officials are calling alarmingly low voter turnout.
According to the Alameda County Registrar, only 45,086 of the 250,226 ballots mailed to Oakland voters have been returned — a participation rate of just 18%.
"Frankly, disappointed with the turnout," said Taylor. "It's a dismal number. Democracy thrives when everyone participates."
Lee echoed the urgency, emphasizing her campaign's grassroots efforts.
"What we're doing is increasing the turnout. We have many, many people out on the streets canvassing, knocking on doors," she said.
The low numbers have energized both candidates and their teams to intensify their outreach. Volunteers for both Lee and Taylor are canvassing throughout Oakland, hoping to reach undecided voters and ensure ballots are submitted by the Tuesday deadline.
"We can't take it for granted, right? Every vote matters," said Taylor, who narrowly lost the last mayoral race by just 677 votes.
Recent comparisons underscore the challenge: more than 142,000 people voted in the November recall election, and 125,522 ballots were cast in the 2022 mayoral election.
Taylor is relying on a robust volunteer force to close the gap.
"We have more than 200 volunteers that are coming out this weekend to go knock on doors, call their neighbors, make sure that people not only understand what's at stake and vote Loren Taylor number one, but also make sure those ballots get turned in," he said.
On Sunday, Taylor made campaign stops in North Oakland, including a visit outside a Safeway, where he spoke with undecided voters. Earlier in the day, he rallied volunteers before going door to door.
Meanwhile, Lee spent her Sunday speaking at a Palm Sunday service at the Church of All Faiths in the East Lake neighborhood.
"I want to be your mayor because I want to fight for Oakland," she told congregants, encouraging them to contact friends and family to vote.
"We are at a crossroads. The city can go forwards or backwards. And I want to move us forward together for a united Oakland," she said.
Later, at a rally in front of city hall, the longtime congresswoman highlighted her experience in bringing together diverse communities to address shared challenges.
"We've got to increase our crime prevention efforts, strengthen Ceasefire, make sure that our neighborhoods are safe by investing in ambassadors and non-sworn officers to be able to help prevent crimes from taking place. We need to strengthen our mental health intervention," Lee said.
While Taylor voiced respect for Lee's long congressional career, he emphasized that Oakland needs full-time leadership to address its pressing issues.
"Folks are afraid to leave their homes, afraid to go into our commercial corridors, out to dinner. Restaurants are afraid to keep their business open pass 5 o'clock in the evening. We've got to make the space where everyone feels safe here," Taylor said.
As Election Day approaches, both candidates agree: the outcome may hinge not on persuasion, but on participation.
