James Beere, who became Oakland's interim Police Chief last December, has secured confirmation to lead the department permanently.
Loren Taylor was leading in early returns in the special election to select Oakland's next mayor Tuesday night, according to the Alameda County Registrar of Voters' Office.
Even with strong mandates, the next mayor will have limited tools. Under Oakland's city charter - the city's governing document - the mayor lacks veto power and has little authority over legislation or the budget, leading to what many call a weak executive office.
Polling stations are now open in Oakland ahead of Tuesday's special election. It will include electing Oakland's new mayor and its District 2 city councilmember, and will also decide the fate of Measure A, a sales tax measure.
Ahead of the Tuesday special election, former congresswoman Barbara Lee and former Oakland councilmember Loren Taylor each made a last-minute push to try and convince voters that they're the right choice for Oakland mayor.
The race for Oakland mayor is on and the top two candidates are making their case ahead of the April 15 special election. They go one-on-one with ABC7 News to share their vision for the city.