Berkeleyside wants to help you get to know your 2016 candidates for Berkeley City Council, School Board and Rent Stabilization Board. This week, we plan to publish questionnaires with the candidates daily at 11 a.m.
In coming weeks, we’ll have stories on all the key Berkeley races and initiatives that will be on the ballot, and hope to help readers make informed decisions about the potential leaders and policies that could help shape Berkeley’s future.
See all local 2016 coverage on Berkeleyside.
Q&As with the District 5 (North Berkeley) and District 6 (Northeast Berkeley) City Council races follow. We asked candidates why they were running, what sets them apart, what the city’s biggest challenges are and how they hope to solve them. Learn what each candidate thinks is her or his most inspired idea, and how each candidate plans to be accountable and accessible to constituents. Each questionnaire includes complete campaign info, including social media pages, to help readers connect.
Each race also includes a PDF grid to help readers compare responses side by side. The deadline to register to vote in Alameda County for the Nov. 8 election is Monday, Oct. 24.
Candidate descriptions below reflect the official ballot order and ballot designation. Berkeleyside is talking with all the candidates to bring you more District 5 and District 6 coverage.
DISTRICT 5: NORTH BERKELEY Two candidates are running for an open seat: Sophie Hahn (Zoning Board commissioner) and Stephen Murphy (family justice advocate). Candidate profiles are also in the works, slated for publication next week.
- Election 2016: Who is Sophie Hahn?
- Election 2016: Who is Stephen Murphy?
- Compare both candidate responses in a grid (PDF)
- Websites: Hahn || Murphy
DISTRICT 6: NORTHEAST BERKELEY Three candidates are on the ballot: Susan Wengraf (incumbent), Fred Dodsworth (journalist/teacher/businessperson) and Isabelle Gaston (medical writer). Stay tuned for additional coverage.
- Election 2016: Who is Susan Wengraf?
- Election 2016: Who is Fred Dodsworth?
- Election 2016: Who is Isabelle Gaston?
- Compare all three candidate responses in a grid (PDF)
- Websites: Wengraf || Dodsworth || Gaston
Hungry for more? Watch the League of Women Voters Berkeley Albany Emeryville candidate forum for districts 5 and 6 from September.
Other resources
- The city of Berkeley’s election portal, including candidate info and ballot arguments
- Don’t know your Berkeley City Council district? The city website has a handy tool for that.
- Voter’s Edge: View a personalized ballot by entering your address
- The League of Women Voters Berkeley, Albany and Emeryville: Local races
- Check your voter registration status (and sign up to get election materials online)
- Find your voter profile (Alameda County registrar of voters)
- Confused about ranked-choice voting? Learn how it works
Berkeleyside’s Uncharted: The Berkeley Festival of Ideas is two days of provocative thinking, inspiring speakers, workshops, and a big party — all in downtown Berkeley in October. Read all about it, be part of it. Register on the Uncharted website.
