Why aren’t Oaklanders more excited about the governor’s race?

Oaklanders aren’t pinning much hope on California’s next governor to improve living and working conditions in the city, with many saying they feel somewhat detached from the upcoming gubernatorial election. 

Oakland North spoke recently to dozens of residents across the city, many of whom said they were not excited to vote in the race between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton, including some who had no idea who was running in the Nov. 3 election to succeed Gavin Newsom. 

Ifalayo Harper of East Oakland said voting for governor feels “useless,” as long as President Donald Trump is in office. “We have no room to do anything,” she said. “There’s nothing we can do.”

Harper hopes the next governor will be more compassionate to unhoused people than Newsom, who issued an executive order in 2024 to clear encampments from state property. That year, the Supreme Court ruled that cities could enforce outdoor camping bans. In Oakland, where the most recent count puts the number of unhoused residents at about 4,400, sweeps also have come to include unregistered vehicles that people use for shelter.  

Having been unhoused herself, Harper said whoever is elected should find a better solution than sweeping people with no viable housing options off the street. 

“I mean, being unhoused for many years and just seeing them waste money on big nonprofits and all the overhead costs and none of the money really going down to the people, I really just don’t trust the government,” Harper said.

Homelessness was top of mind for Leo Pereira as well. Like Harper, he said the next governor needs to take a more empathetic approach to the problem. 

“I don’t know if it can be solved because it’s such a structural issue within our society,” Pereira said, “but at least support the people who need the most help to get them off the streets in a fashion that works for them in a way that is kind.”

Most polls show voters leaning heavily toward Becerra, including the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll released in August, which has Becerra with 55% of the vote, Hilton with 37%, and only 7% of voters undecided. That’s not surprising, considering that registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in California by nearly 20 percentage points. 

The Berkeley poll found that voters backing Becerra believe he will protect LGBTQ rights, expand healthcare and stand up to the Trump administration, which California is challenging in court with more than 80 lawsuits. Those backing Hilton say they want a candidate who will lower taxes and reduce government regulation. 

Whoever the next governor is, said Jeanna Penn, of North Oakland, they need to push back against the federal government. 

“I’d like to see California flex its power a little bit more,” Penn said. “We can create pressure for things that are going to benefit the state.” 

Many residents who spoke to Oakland North said they doubted Oaklanders would be much affected by whoever takes the reins from Newsom. Jeff Embleton, who runs a nonprofit that promotes outdoor activities for city youth, said nothing will change without major policy shifts that make schools and housing more equitable. 

“I’ve been working on the ground in the city of Oakland for 20 years,” he said. “I think there’s a need for policy change and all of our legislation to change simultaneously.”  

There are so many policies that need to change for people who were born in the Bay Area to be able to remain here, said Elise Youssoufian, who is pursuing a doctorate at the California Institute for Integral Studies. “I’ve been scraping by my whole life,” she said, “and it’s so exhausting.” 

Wesley Graybill, a software engineer, said he wants a governor who will support all Californians, and who will try to ensure “everyone has equal opportunity.”

The magnitude of the issues has discouraged rather than encouraged some voters to engage with the election. 

“I feel like I have not been able to pay too much attention because it is so overwhelming,” said Melan Allen, a small business owner and artist who lives in the Lakeside neighbood.

The crowded primary election ballot added to that feeling. In June, voters were asked to choose from a list of 61 candidates. Nancy Hernandez, who works in customer care for a website builder, was among the many voters who found the task daunting. It was hard to find someone who aligned with everything she cares about, said Hernandez, who lives near Jack London Square. 

Becerra, a former California attorney general and congressman who was a member of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet, emerged as the frontrunner with 28% of the votes. Hilton, a Fox News contributor who was an adviser to former British Prime Minister David Cameron, garnered 25%. 

As the general election gets closer, Hernandez said, “I feel like I am going to pay more attention.”

(Top photo: Xavier Becerra (left) and Steve Hilton, courtesy of their campaigns)

Reporters Rachel Ababio, Quezia Arruda Cunha, Monika Boyadzhieva, Wuendy Calmo, Yuan-Hsi Chou, Reya Hart, Fiona Hastings, Duha Hmidan, Mary Mijares, Lizzy Myers, Cadence Quaranta, Maya Reyes, Anson Tan, Eric Urbach and Nichelle Wong contributed to this story.

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