Voter Guide
Every race and measure Oakland voters will see
Alameda County Registrar of Voters · California Secretary of State · Last verified October 29, 2026
What it does: Restructures Oakland from council-manager to strong-mayor government. The mayor gets veto power, direct control over city departments, and the city administrator role is eliminated. The council gets an independent legislative office and veto override power.
A YES vote means: the mayor gains executive authority over city operations
A NO vote means: Oakland keeps its current council-manager structure
Supporters: Mayor Barbara Lee, SPUR, League of Women Voters, Alameda Labor Council
Opponents: Council members Unger, Gallo, Houston, Ramachandran; Oakland Charter Reform Project (Steven Falk)
Background: Lee cast the tie-breaking 4–4 vote on June 16, 2026 to place this measure on the ballot.
What it does: Removes an exemption in Oakland’s real property transfer tax so large banks and investors pay it when they foreclose on a property. Banks under $10 billion in assets, homeowners, and office-to-affordable-housing conversions stay exempt. The city estimates up to $13 million a year.
Passes with: a simple majority
What it does: A half-cent sales tax in Alameda County (1% in San Francisco) across five Bay Area counties for 14 years, about $980 million a year, to keep BART, AC Transit, Muni and Caltrain running and fix some roads.
Passes with: a simple majority
At-Large seat (Rowena Brown) not up until 2028
Michael C. HoustonIncumbent (unopposed)
3 of 7 seats on the ballot.
Resolved in primary — Jones Dickson won with 65%. No November contest.
14 statewide propositions are on the ballot.
$11.25 billion in state bonds for affordable multifamily housing, CalVet home loans and housing for youth.
Raises the cap on the state’s Budget Stabilization Account from 10% to 20% of general fund revenue and keeps deposits outside the Gann spending limit.
Renews the higher income tax rates on top earners first approved in Prop 30 (2012), which fund schools and early childhood programs.
Lets the state and local governments create programs that give candidates public funds if they accept spending limits.
Removes the second question in a state officer recall; a vacancy would be filled under state law instead.
Creates a state second-mortgage program for homebuyers, funded by $25 billion in bonds.
$8.4 billion in state bonds for immunology and immunotherapy research.
Requires government ID to vote and verification of citizenship against government records.
A one-time 5% tax on the wealth of people and trusts with more than $1 billion in covered assets, for healthcare, education and food assistance.
Requires agencies that receive new special taxes enacted after Jan. 1, 2026 to cut their lowest-performing programs and reinvest the savings, and bars leaving new taxes out of the state spending limit.
Bars new taxes after Jan. 1, 2026 on retirement holdings, personal assets and savings, and limits retroactive taxes.
Requires two-thirds voter approval for local special taxes placed by initiative and bars new property taxes not otherwise authorized.
Requires federally qualified health centers to spend at least 90% of revenue on mission-related purposes.
Sets deadlines for agencies to review and take comment on essential projects such as housing, water, transportation and energy.
Ballotpedia · California Secretary of State · Last verified October 29, 2026
Depending on where you live in Oakland, your ballot may also include BART, AC Transit, EBMUD or Peralta Community College board seats. Your sample ballot lists exactly which ones.