Auckland City Council elections in tight race as incumbent decides not to run
OAKLAND — Three of the city's eight incumbent City Council members will not run for re-election in November, leaving a potentially transformative election for office in Oakland's political landscape undecided.
City Councilman Treva Reed, who represents East Oakland's 7th District, had not filed the paperwork with City Hall by a late Friday afternoon deadline, a last-minute discovery that surprised two of her opponents when they learned of Reed's decision.
Reed joins two other City Council members who are also not seeking reelection: Rebecca Kaplan, a lifelong Oakland politician and city-wide council member, and 1st District Rep. Dan Kalb, who ran unsuccessfully for state Senate in his East Bay district earlier this year.
Reed, the daughter of longtime City Councilman Larry Reed, did not immediately respond to a message asking why she is not seeking to keep her seat.
Two other incumbents, Carol Fife and Noel Gallo, have filed papers to run for re-election, and the council added two new candidates to the 2022 race, Janani Ramachandran and Kevin Jenkins.
With Council Speaker Nikki Fortunato Bass the front-runner in the Alameda County Board of Supervisors race and Mayor Shen Tao facing a recall effort, November is poised to have a significant impact on how Oakland is governed.
This story will be updated.
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