Oakland City Council Members: Districts, Leadership, and Elections

The Oakland City Council members are eight elected officials who make up the city’s legislative branch: seven represent individual geographic districts, and one holds a citywide at-large seat. Together they pass local ordinances, approve Oakland’s two-year budget, and confirm the mayor’s appointments to boards and commissions.¹

Who Represents Each District

The current roster reflects seats that turned over in the November 2024 election and an April 2025 special election. According to the city’s official council page:²

District 1 — Zac Unger. North Oakland, covering Rockridge, Temescal, Piedmont Avenue, Grand Lake/Rose Garden, Adams Point, Bushrod, Mosswood, Santa Fe, Golden Gate, and Longfellow.³
District 2 — Charlene Wang. Won a special election in April 2025 and now chairs the Public Safety Committee. The district includes Chinatown and the San Antonio neighborhood.²
District 3 — Carroll Fife. West Oakland, Jack London, Downtown, and Adams Point.⁴
District 4 — Janani Ramachandran. Laurel, Dimond, Allendale, Glenview, Montclair, Redwood Heights, and North Hills.⁵
District 5 — Noel Gallo. A lifelong Oakland resident whose district centers on Fruitvale and San Antonio.²
District 6 — Kevin Jenkins. East Oakland. Jenkins serves as City Council President and previously served as Interim Mayor.²
District 7 — Ken Houston. The southernmost portions of the city, including deep East Oakland.²
At-Large — Rowena Brown. Sworn in January 2025 to represent the entire city. Brown chaired the council’s budget process in her first year and leads the Community and Economic Development Committee.⁶

Rosters can change between elections because of resignations, recalls, and special elections. The city’s council page carries the current lineup.

Council President and Leadership

At its first meeting each January, the council elects one of its members to serve as council president for a two-year term. The president chairs regular and special meetings, manages the Office of the City Council, and appoints members and chairs of council committees, subject to confirmation by the full body. The president also recommends appointments to regional and local boards, except those the city charter reserves for the mayor.⁷

The president designates a president pro tempore who steps in when the president is absent. Both leadership roles run for two years beginning in January.⁷

What the Council Does

The council’s authority falls into three main areas.

It writes local law. Ordinances passed by the council carry the force of law within city limits and cover zoning, land use, public safety standards, and business regulation. Resolutions and motions set broader policy direction for city departments.¹

It controls the money. Oakland uses a two-year budget cycle, and the council must approve the entire package. Because the council also sets compensation ranges for city employees, it alone can fund or defund positions and programs.¹

And it confirms mayoral appointments. Appointees to Oakland’s boards and commissions, including bodies like the Budget Advisory Commission and the Library Commission, cannot serve without a council vote.⁸

Council members earn an annual salary of $114,243.13 as of 2026, reflecting a 5.0 percent increase approved by the Public Ethics Commission. Adjustments take effect during the first payroll period after the fiscal year starts on July 1.⁹

Terms, Elections, and Ranked-Choice Voting

Council members serve four-year terms on a staggered schedule, so roughly half the seats appear on the ballot every two years during even-numbered election cycles. That prevents a full turnover in any single election.

Oakland uses ranked-choice voting for local offices, including council seats. Voters rank candidates in order of preference on a single ballot instead of returning for a separate runoff. If no candidate wins a majority of first-choice votes, the last-place candidate is eliminated and their voters’ second choices are redistributed until one candidate crosses the majority threshold.¹⁰

The city charter limits council members to two consecutive terms. After eight years in a seat, a member must step away, though they may run again after sitting out. Candidates for a district seat must live within that district; the at-large candidate only needs to reside somewhere in Oakland.

When a Seat Opens Mid-Term

If a council seat becomes vacant before the next scheduled election, the charter requires a special election within 120 days. That deadline can be extended by up to 90 days to consolidate with an upcoming municipal or statewide election. Special elections use the same ranked-choice procedures as regular elections.¹¹

If a vacancy lasts 100 days or longer, the remaining council members may temporarily fill the seat by majority vote. That appointee cannot simultaneously run for the vacant seat and may serve no more than 180 days, or until the newly elected member is sworn in, whichever comes first. A member who fills a partial term longer than two years is treated as having served a full term for term-limit purposes.¹¹

California law also lets voters recall local elected officials, including council members, by collecting enough petition signatures. The required share depends on the number of registered voters in the official’s jurisdiction.¹²

How to Reach the Council

Public comment at council meetings is the most direct route. Each speaker gets a minimum of two minutes per agenda item before the council votes, though the presiding officer can reduce that to one minute when the agenda is heavy or many speakers have signed up.⁷

Meetings are broadcast digitally for residents who cannot attend in person. The city website lists schedules, agendas, and contact information for each council office, including email and phone. Many members also hold office hours and town halls in their districts.²

1
Office of the City Attorney. City Manager’s Powers – Legal Opinion
2
City of Oakland. Council Members
3
City of Oakland. Zac Unger
4
City of Oakland. Carroll Fife
5
City of Oakland. Janani Ramachandran
6
City of Oakland. Rowena Brown
7
Oakland City Attorney. City Council Rules of Procedure
8
City of Oakland. Concurrent Meeting of the Oakland Redevelopment Successor Agency and the City Council
9
City of Oakland. City Council Salaries
10
Alameda County Registrar of Voters. Ranked-Choice Voting
11
Oakland City Council. Resolution Submitting to the Voters a Government Reform Measure
12
Alameda County Registrar of Voters. Procedures for Recalling State and Local Officials