The March 2024 Primary Election is fast approaching and one of the most hotly contested races took shape this week after longtime Alameda County District 5 Supervisor Keith Carson’s announcement last Friday that, “after much reflection,” he won’t seek reelection.
Carson’s decision surprised many and came just after the deadline for candidates to file papers to run against him. Because he bowed out, that deadline was extended to Wed., Dec. 13.
Now, nine candidates have filed papers for a shot to join the powerful Board of Supervisors, representing West and North Oakland, all of Berkeley, Piedmont, Emeryville, and Albany. The supervisors are responsible for setting the county’s budget, governing the unincorporated areas of the county, and overseeing the sheriff, Alameda Health System, mental health system, and other crucial public services.
Among the nine hopefuls are Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas, Emeryville Councilmember and former Mayor John Bauters, and Berkeley Councilmember Ben Bartlett.
Also on the March 5 ballot will be primaries for the Board of Supervisors district 1, 2, and 4 seats. District 4 also covers part of Oakland. Incumbent Nate Miley will face Jennifer Esteen in the D4 race. We’ll closely cover this campaign, and other aspects of the March Primary, as we get close to the election, including interviews with the candidates.
By then, some of the candidates may have bowed out of the race. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote during the March Primary, then the top two vote-getters will face each other in a runoff in the November 2024 General Election.
In alphabetical order, here are the potential candidates.
Ben Bartlett is a member of the Berkeley City Council representing District 3. His term ends next year. According to his Linkedin, Bartlett is a board member of Ava Community Energy, the East Bay’s public electricity provider, and he sits on the Northern California regional leadership council for Brady, the anti-gun violence organization. He is also an advisory board member for Homes for the Homeless, a nonprofit organization. Bartlett has served as a member of Berkeley’s transportation commission, planning commission, the loan advisory board, and the zero waste commission. www.ben2024.vote/
Nikki Fortunato Bas was elected to the Oakland City Council in 2018 to represent District 2, which includes Eastlake, Grand Lake, San Antonio, Chinatown, and part of the Jack London District. She became City Council President in 2021. Bas played a central role in crafting Oakland’s 2023-2025 budget, which balanced a $360 million deficit in the general purpose fund. Prior to government work, Bas was the executive director of the Partnership for Working Families and the executive director of the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy. www.nikki4supervisor.com
John Bauters is a member of the Emeryville City Council, which he has served on since 2016, including terms as mayor. He’s currently the chair of the Alameda County Transportation Commission. According to Linkedin, he is the Arizona state director for the Alliance for Safety and Justice, an organization that advocates for victim services and community safety funds to help crime victims. He also worked as the policy director for Housing California. www.bautersforsupervisor.com.
Ken Berrick is a member of the Alameda County Board of Education Trustees, representing Area 3. He was elected in 2020 and his term ends in 2024. Berrick is also the president and CEO of Just Advocates, a nonprofit organization that supports children and families. He founded and serves as the CEO Emeritus of Seneca Family of Agencies, a nonprofit that provides mental health care, education, and placement services to children and families.
Omar Farmer has served as a member of the Oakland Safety and Services Oversight Commission since 2021, a board that provides strategic recommendations to the city to reduce crime. He was also an advisory board member on the city’s Reimagining Public Safety Task Force. In 2022, Farmer was appointed to BART’s Transit Security Advisory Committee. He also served on the Alameda County Veteran Affairs Commission. He is also a member of the Bay Area Racial Justice Network, which combats racial profiling and discrimination online.
Gregory Hodge is the owner of Khepera Consulting and has worked with nonprofit organizations, including the California Endowment. He has served as the executive director for the Executives’ Alliance for Boys and Men of Color, and as the CEO of the Oakland-based Brotherhood of Elders Network. He previously served as a member of the Oakland Unified School District Board of Education, including a period as president. Hodge ran for Oakland mayor last year.
Chris Moore is the president of CGM Ventures Inc., an investment and consulting firm that supports technology startup founders and executives. He is a landlord and serves on the board of directors for the East Bay Rental Housing Association, a landlord advocacy group. He is also active in the campaign to recall District Attorney Pamela Price. www.chrismooreforsupervisor.com
Gerald Pechenuk was a volunteer election observer in 2022. He appears to be affiliated with the LaRouchePAC, a political organization that is operated by adherents of the late Lyndon LaRouche, a conspiracist who was convicted of mail and tax fraud.
Lorrel Plimier is, according to LinkedIn, the co-founder of Step Forward Tech, a firm that advises progressive organizations on how to use technology to advance their work, and teaches nonprofit leaders on technology to help with outreach. She has served as the president of the League of Women Voters of Piedmont since 2020 and she is a board member for the League of Women Voters of California. www.lorrelplimierforsupervisor.com
The last day to register to vote for the March 5, 2024, Presidential Primary Election is February 20, 2024.
Correction: A previous version of this story said Bas was elected in 2019. She was elected in 2018 and assumed office in 2019.
