Oakland City Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas will serve as interim mayor of Oakland, following the recall of Mayor Sheng Thao.

The Filipino American is currently the president of the Oakland City Council and represents District 2. In November, she won the District 5 seat on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. She will give up her seat on the Oakland City Council in order to assume her new role.

Special elections will be held for the mayoral race and for the District 2 seat.

According to the city’s announcement, Mayoral candidates’ nominations were expected to begin on Monday, December 23, 2024, and end on Friday, January 17, 2025. The special election for Mayor will then be held on April 15, 2025.

In a post on X, Bas thanked Mayor Sheng Thao and said she felt hopeful for the future.

“I am grateful to Mayor Sheng Thao for her service to our City and unwavering commitment to advancing priorities that best meet the needs of our residents,” Bas wrote. “I am proud of the work we’ve accomplished over these past two years and feel immensely grateful for the entirety of Mayor Thao’s career in public service.”

“In this moment of transition for Oakland, I feel hopeful for our city in no small way thanks to the commitment, dedication and hard work of every public servant in our city.”

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