Election 2012

The vote is in: Victory for Kalb, Kaplan, Gallo and Parker; A1 and B1 fail

After several rounds of ranked choice balloting, Oakland and Alameda County election returns are in. In the Oakland at-large contest, after five rounds of balloting, incumbent Rebecca Kaplan secured a victory with 60.74 percent of the vote, while current District 5 representative Ignacio De La Fuente took second with 39.26 percent. Speaking late Tuesday night, Kaplan’s spokesperson Jason Overman called her win “a very decisive victory.” “The voters of Oakland have spoken to move Oakland forward. They chose a record of…

After a day of voting and campaigning, Oakland celebrates Obama win, waits for local results

The polls have now closed in Oakland, and throughout the city, candidates and voters are awaiting the results of closely-watched local and state races that includ a seven-way race for the District 1 city council set and a closely-matched at-large race, while others have begun celebrating the apparent victory of President Barack Obama, after CNN, NBC, Fox News and CBS all projected a win for the president at approximately 8:15 p.m. Shortly after the opening of the polls in California at…

With absentee ballots and special volunteers, helping the infirm vote

For Oakland’s sick and elderly population, voting today presented a litany of obstacles, from immobility to sickness to mental illnesses. But the Registrar of Voters is tackling what seems to be the biggest hurdle: patients who physically cannot walk to a polling station. “Most people here are in wheelchairs,” said Stephen Kutchko, the director of social services at Kindred Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, on 29th Street near the hospital center in North Oakland. “Most people can’t walk or get out…

Oakland Votes 2012: Liveblogging the election

Oakland North’s reporters will be liveblogging today’s election starting at 3 pm and running … til it’s over! Watch this space for updates throughout the day, and returns and election results starting after 8 pm. Be sure to also check out our Election 2012 page for our previous coverage, including District 1 council candidate profiles, interactive ballot guides and coverage of the school board, City Attorney’s and at-large races.