Retired Congresswoman Barbara Lee is set to become Oakland’s next mayor after former city councilmember Loren Taylor conceded the race on Saturday.
"This morning I called Congresswoman Barbara Lee to congratulate her on becoming the next Mayor of Oakland,” Taylor wrote in an email to supporters. “While the outcome was not what we worked for and hoped for, I am incredibly proud of the race we ran.”
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WATCH HERELee made her first appearance as mayor-elect at an Easter event in Oakland on Saturday afternoon.
"I accept your choice with a deep sense of responsibility, humility, and love," Lee said in a statement. "Oakland is a deeply divided City, and I answered the call to run, to unite our community — so that I can represent every voter, and we can all work together as One Oakland to solve our most pressing problems."
This morning, Loren Taylor called me to concede the race. While I believe strongly in respecting the democratic voting process and ballots will continue to be counted through Tuesday, the results are clear that the people of Oakland have elected me as your next Mayor. THANK YOU,… pic.twitter.com/reQS4n6odD
— Barbara Lee (@BarbaraLee_CA) April 19, 2025
According to numbers released Friday by the Alameda County Registrar's Office, Lee was leading in the polls by nearly 5,000 votes after the latest count in the Oakland mayoral race.
Previously, Taylor had been in the lead, but after Friday's update, Lee has garnered more than 52% of the vote.
"I believe she is going to be a unifier. She is going to be the person who gives us the desperately needed charter changes that we need in our city," said interim mayor Kevin Jenkins at an event Saturday.
The registrar's office said it has about 300 ballots to verify, and election workers will count any remaining mail-in ballots that have yet to be received. Any mail-in ballots can be tallied as late as Tuesday, as long as they were postmarked by the day of the special election.
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SIGN UP The special election with ranked-choice voting became necessary after former mayor Sheng Thao lost a recall election in November.
Lee will serve the remainder of Thao’s term and will be up for reelection in 2026.
"Public safety, meeting with our police chief, meeting with department heads, [and] city administrators," Lee said when addressing her main priorities in office. "Really looking at all of the issues our unsheltered population, how we are going to move forward with economic development."
Read Taylor’s full letter to supporters here:
"This morning I called Congresswoman Barbara Lee to congratulate her on becoming the next Mayor of Oakland. While the outcome was not what we worked for and hoped for, I am incredibly proud of the race we ran. Our campaign started as the underdog—most didn’t expect us to come this far or make it this close. We gained the support of nearly half the voting population despite having political insiders and labor unions spend heavily, spread lies, and rally against our efforts, and your hopes for the city. Thanks to the heart, grit, and vision of our fearless team and supporters, we built a movement that resonated across Oakland, echoing the national dialogue about the waning relevance of a Democratic Party that puts old-guard politics over improving the lives of everyday people. I pray that Mayor-Elect Lee fulfills her commitment to unify Oakland by authentically engaging the 47% of Oaklanders who voted for me and who want pragmatic results-driven leadership.
To my campaign team, volunteers, and every person who knocked on a door, made a call, hosted a house party, or simply believed in the possibility of a better Oakland—thank you from the bottom of my heart. You showed what’s possible when people come together with purpose and passion. We ran this campaign with integrity, with bold ideas, and with an unshakable commitment to the people of this city. That doesn’t end this weekend. My love for Oakland runs deep, and I’ll continue doing the work—lifting up the community, holding our leaders and systems accountable, and pushing for the equity, safety, and opportunity every Oaklander deserves.
Thank you, Oakland."
