Mayor Barbara Lee and Council President Kevin Jenkins Announce Joint Support for Charter Reform Recommendations Backed by 63% Voter Support

OAKLAND, CA – Mayor Barbara Lee and City Council President Kevin Jenkins today announced their joint support for the Charter Reform Working Group's recommendations, following the release of last week's new polling that shows strong and growing voter support for modernizing Oakland's government.

"Oaklanders deserve a government that works for them, and after months of community engagement, we are proud to jointly support the Charter Reform Working Group's recommendations as a roadmap to get there," said Mayor Lee. "These reforms reflect what we heard directly from residents and will bring clearer accountability, stronger oversight, and better delivery of core services in every neighborhood."

"I am proud to support the Working Group's recommendations, which are grounded in community input and designed to make City Hall work better for the people we serve," said Council President Jenkins. "By clarifying roles and strengthening oversight tools, these reforms will help ensure every district sees real improvements in services and accountability."

The Charter Reform Working Group's recommendations were the result of a six-month, citywide engagement process that was led in partnership with the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) and the League of Women Voters of Oakland, which brought together more than 1,150 Oakland residents, along with current and former city staff, elected officials, and community stakeholders.

Informed by public meetings in every council district, surveys, and in-depth interviews, the Working Group released their recommendations in January. They focused on a strong mayor and strong council system with a clearly defined executive structure. Specifically:

• The Mayor leads city operations while the Council sets city policy and provides empowered oversight.

• The Mayor would be clearly responsible for city services, have veto power over legislation and budgets, and appoint department leadership. This creates one accountable leader for citywide outcomes.

• The Council keeps its legislative and budget authority, can override mayoral vetoes with a supermajority, and gains stronger oversight tools including professional, independent analysis support and subpoena power.

• The Council will also have confirmation power over the City Administrator that oversees core city functions.

The recently released poll conducted by David Binder Research found that 58% of likely November 2026 voters support the Working Group's core proposals, with support rising to 63% after voters hear balanced information about the reforms, demonstrating significant momentum for change.

The David Binder Research poll also found:

• 73% support granting the Mayor veto power over City Council legislation and budget decisions, subject to a two-thirds Council override

• 72% support creating an independent Budget and Legislative Analyst Office to strengthen Council oversight

• 63% prefer a strong mayor system, compared to just 23% who prefer a council-manager model

These results are consistent with another recent poll. A 2025 Oakland Chamber of Commerce Pulse of Oakland Poll found 61% of likely voters support a strong-mayor system, while half actively oppose a council-manager government and only 13% named it their top choice.

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