Oakland voters are being asked to consider a measure on the ballot that would increase property taxes as a way to fund public safety and crime prevention programs. But to understand Measure NN, you need to know about Measure Z, the voter-approved action that has been doing this since 2015. Measure Z is set to…

When Richmond resident Lejon “Fahim” Reese was transferred to Vacaville’s Solano State Prison in December 1993, he was just beginning to serve his time for a gang-related homicide. Then he was told how to spend that time.  The Unit Classification Committee, the state body in charge of inmate work assignments, assigned him the role of…

Empty toilet paper rolls. Missing bathroom stall doors. Dirty sinks and desks. Those were among the top concerns identified by Oakland Unified School District students in a survey by their peers. This year, students hope a new form of leverage will push the district to fix things: their votes.  As Oakland teens prepare to cast…

With just days left before Tuesday’s election, Oakland North interviewed the three candidates running for Oakland’s City Council District 5 seat. District 5 extends from the affluent streets of Park Boulevard to the industrial flatlands of International Boulevard. Incumbent Noel Gallo is running, along with candidates Erin Armstrong and Dominic Prado. Each responded to the…

George Ellis walked down Sixth Street, greeting neighbors he passed in a community he has called home for decades. While he and his wife hung a poster of the City Council candidate they both planned to vote for, Ellis couldn’t remember the candidate’s name.   “I need to get more in-depth and do more reading. I…

With three open seats on the five-member El Cerrito City Council, the Nov. 5 election offers residents a rare opportunity to shape the city’s future. Mayor Tessa Rudnick will not be running for reelection after one term on the council. Councilmember Paul Fadelli is also not running, after serving two terms, leaving Lisa Motoyama as…

In November 2022, Oakland resident Ima Ekong went to her local polling place to cast her vote in the city’s mayoral election. Two years later, she says she’s still unclear how ranked-choice voting, the ballot system used in city elections, selects winners and losers. “I think it is really confusing,” she said.    Ekong is not…

This year, there are three seats up for election on the West Contra Costa Unified School District board, but only the Area 2 race will appear on the ballot. The other two candidates are running unopposed and will automatically get the seats. For her second term, Incumbent Jamela Smith-Folds will represent Area 1, which includes…

On Election Day, Richmond voters will decide between two ballot measures that could reshape elections for the foreseeable future.  On the ballot are two options: Measure J’s two-round primary system or Measure L, an instant run-off, otherwise known as ranked-choice voting. Both address concerns over representation but through vastly different approaches.  Measure J, which is…