Former Oakland Police Chief Trails in City Council Race

Early results show former Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong behind in his bid for City Council, trailing Rowena Brown by just over 9 percentage points in a ranked choice matchup.

The Alameda County Registrar of Voters told KQED that less than 25% of votes have been counted. Results are expected to be updated by the end of Thursday, and certification could take two to three weeks.

“We’ve been here before and patience will be needed as many more ballots need to be counted,” Brown, the legislative director for Assemblymember Mia Bonta, posted on social media on Wednesday morning. “Looking nationally, let’s hold our heads high and know that our collective power will move us through the next four years. We are warriors and we got this. We will rest in this moment, but let’s be ready in 2025.”

In the first round of ranked choice voting, Brown led Armstrong by about half a point, 28.3% to 27.8%. Charlene Wang, a former Biden-Harris official with an environmentalist background, came in third with 20% of first-choice votes in early returns. As candidates were eliminated in subsequent rounds of the ranked choice instant runoff, a large portion of Wang’s votes went to Brown.

The candidates were running for a seat left vacant by Rebecca Kaplan, the incumbent who chose not to run for reelection. The at-large seat has no special powers compared to the other City Council members. However, unlike the seven district seats, the at-large member represents the entire city of Oakland. This elected official has the leeway to take a broad view of the city’s daunting challenges, which may include recalls of the mayor and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price.

The campaign to recall Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao gained steam with her decision to fire Armstrong, a lifelong Oaklander who steadily rose up the police department’s ranks.

Armstrong was raised in West Oakland and appointed police chief in 2021 by former Mayor Libby Schaaf. At the time, he was welcomed as a homegrown success story who could bring reform and stability to the long-embattled department. In 2023, then-newly appointed Mayor Thao fired Armstrong over his response to an investigation into officer misconduct. An arbiter later largely cleared Armstrong of wrongdoing, and he sued the city, alleging he was fired illegally. That case is ongoing.

“If anyone is wrong in any way, they should advocate for themselves and seek vindication. And that’s what I’m doing with my lawsuit,” Armstrong told KQED in May. “I don’t think that has any impact on my ability to serve the city of Oakland.”

According to her website, Brown is an East Bay native and a “Black and Queer woman who lost both of her parents by the age of 17.” Before joining Bonta’s office, which represents Alameda and Oakland in Sacramento, Brown worked as a staffer for former Councilmember Loren Taylor and as an 8th-grade teacher. Brown earned endorsements from both Bonta and her husband, the state’s Attorney General Rob Bonta, as well as Lateefah Simon, who is leading the race for the 12th District congressional seat formerly held by Rep. Barbara Lee.