Features

The expected and the unexpected have joined the Oakland City Council and Oakland Unified School District Board of Directors party, adding to what is looking like an increasingly crowded slate for the June 3 elections. 

The daughter of best-selling author Ishmael Reed has announced plans to enter the race for the Oakland Unified School District 1 seat being vacated by Board member Kerry Hamill, a second challenger has announced plans to run against 5th District Councilmember Ignacio De La Fuente, two candidates will be challenging District 7 Oakland Unified School District Board member Alice Spearman, and longtime At Large Councilmember Henry Chang has ended speculation over his plans by taking out papers for re-election. 

In North Oakland’s District 1 school board race, author Tennessee Reed—Ishmael’s daughter—has taken out papers to join parent-activist Jody London and businessman-philanthropist Brian Rogers. 

In Oakland’s 5th District Fruitvale area, a former administrative assistant to former District 5 Councilmember Wilson Riles, David Wofford, has taken out filing papers for De La Fuente’s seat. Wofford, who says he works in community development, is an Oakland native who has worked with such organizations as Education Not Incarceration, the San Antonio Community Development District Council, and the Fruitvale District Council, and is a member of the Green Party. He joins Fruitvale-area realtor Mario Juarez, who is also challenging De La Fuente. 

In what has already become the most crowded race on the June ballot, Chang will have at least three challengers who have announced their intention to run for the Council At Large seat: attorney Clinton Killian, AC Transit Board member Rebecca Kaplan, and Oakland Residents for Peaceful Neighborhoods co-founder Charles Pine. 

Close behind is OUSD School Board 7th District, where incumbent Spearman has already announced her intention to run. Acts Full Gospel Church Associate Pastor and Acts Christian Academy principal Doris Limbrick and Beverly Williams of East Oakland have both taken out filing papers to run against Spearman. 

Longtime incumbent Noel Gallo has announced plans to run for re-election from his District 5 school board seat, and John Russo has announced plans to run for re-election as Oakland City Attorney. Neither has announced opposition, as yet.