First signs of fall

Union City candidate's yard signs are defaced; Fremont candidate says opponent is breaking sign ordinance; Oakland CM suggests opponents are dropping garbage in her district. Plus, ballot previews

ELECTION 2024

79 days to Election Day

UNION CITY MAYOR

—SIGNS OF THE TIMES—It’s that time of the year, folks, when opponents deface or pilfer yard signs. It’s an insult to candidates, but yard signs are also not cheap.

—The first major instance of sign shenanigans for the fall campaign arrived in Union City over the weekend.

—A large number of Union City Councilmember Gary Singh’s mayoral campaign yard signs were vandalized with black spray paint.

—Singh is facing former Union City Councilmember Emily Duncan for the open mayor’s seat this November.

—During the 2022 city council election, candidates Jeff Wang and Viper Bajwa were also on the receiving end of yard sign vandals.

FREMONT MAYOR

—A SIGN THAT IT’S TOO EARLY—In neighboring Fremont, mayoral candidate Vinnie Bacon took the yard sign scandal in a different direction on Monday.

—Bacon called out opponent, Councilmember Raj Salwan, for the early appearance of his yard signs. A Fremont city ordinance does not allow the placement of political yard signs until 45 days before Election Day.

—In an email to supporters, Bacon, however, used some overwrought language to highlight Salwan’s alleged transgression, along with the offending signage.

—“Does Raj Salwan Think He is Above the Law?” Bacon wrote in the subject line.

—Later in the day, Salwan sent his supporters a “friendly reminder” to hold off from placing his yard signs in public.

—“Your enthusiastic support means the world to me, and I appreciate all your effort in getting the message out!" Salwan wrote.

OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL

—TALKING GARBAGE—Oakland Councilmember Carroll Fife is seeking re-election this fall and early indications suggest the District 3 council race will be hard-fought.

—Fife elicited some raised eyebrows last week when she posted a video on Instagram, saying her opponents skewered as showing a lack a self-awareness about Oakland’s chronic problems with illegal dumping.

—In the video, below, Fife appears surprised upon seeing piles of garbage on street corners in her West Oakland district.

—She later suggests the level of garbage might be a stunt by her opponents to undermine her job performance.

—“I know as we get closer to the election we’re going to get shady stuff, underhanded stuff, guerrilla tactics to make it appear that I’m not doing my job,” Fife said.

—Fife then noted turkeys crossing the street before realizing city garbage trucks were in the area to pick up the trash.

THAO RECALL

—DROP IN THE BUCKET—Quinn Delaney, the progressive Oakland philanthropist contributed $10,000 to the campaign opposing the recall of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao last Friday.

—The campaign to oppose the Thao recall, Oaklanders Defending Democracy, is going to need much more.

—The committee reported raising just $1,767, as of the most recent June 30 campaign finance period.

—Meanwhile, the committee to recall Thao has raised nearly $600,000, according to finance reports.

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION

—KEEP YOUR ENEMIES CLOSE—California Attorney General Rob Bonta was among the East Bay’s contingent on Night One of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

—Bonta was seen during MSNBC’s telecast seated next to his potential gubernatorial opponent in 2026, California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.

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