Allyssa's Victory Lap: Oakland mayoral candidate is allowed on the ballot
Alameda City Council candidate is arrested. Plus, campaign finance data
ELECTION 2022
Days until Election Day: 71.
OAKLAND MAYOR
—VICTORY LAP—Allyssa Victory Villanueva’s candidacy for Oakland mayor has new life. After Oakland city officials disqualified her candidacy earlier this month for myriad reasons, the city reversed its decision on Monday, allowing the upstart campaign to join nine other candidates on the November ballot.
—While drumming up community support for her cause, along with a number of her mayoral opponents, Villanueva’s claim the city clerk and city attorney’s office misinterpreted the type of voters’ signatures required for an endorsement petition was ultimately accepted, leading to Monday’s reversal.
—“This is a huge win for our campaign,” Villanueva said. “This is a huge relief after two weeks of nearly pausing all of our campaign activities to address our illegal disqualification.” Last week, Oakland city officials admitted the filing deadline date of Aug. 17 given to the mayoral candidates was incorrect. The correct date for this race was Aug. 12.
—An investigation into the city’s election process and why so many candidates were disqualified is needed, Villanueva said.
—Villanueva said the “city clerk’s misconduct and other illegal behavior” also affected other candidates who were also disqualified from the ballot. It does not appear any other candidates affected by the error will be added to the ballot.
—“There have been many other errors by the clerk. Some confusion. So much injustice. So much strife,” Villanueva said. “I do not put blame on any one person. I believe justice has been served.”
—“I have nothing but good faith in our city staff and the electeds that this was a confusing issue. An unprecedented issue that affected about half of the candidates in this race, even those who qualified.”
—Villanueva’s bid for mayor, however, is still a significant longshot in a race with three candidates waging heavily-funded campaigns to replace the termed out Mayor Libby Schaaf. The publicity from this snafu, though, doesn’t hurt.
—“I think my chances are even stronger, and if this was intentional, or in some way orchestrated with other people that this is only brought more light to the issues going on in our city, with our democracy, and the threat to people of color to be represented in our city.”
MORE INSIDE:
—Alameda City Council candidate arrested for domestic violence
—Campaign finance data
—Datebook
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to East Bay Insiders Newsletter to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.