In the upcoming Nov. 3 election, Alameda voters will choose two candidates from a field of six to represent them on City Council for the next four years.
They are nonprofit founder Amos White, social worker Marcie Johnson, product manager Thushan Amarasiriwardena, tech professional Tyler Savage, business owner Steve Slauson, and attorney Maria Bondonno.
Alameda’s City Council consists of the mayor and four councilmembers, all elected at large.
In this election, incumbent Councilmembers Tony Daysog and Tracy Jensen’s seats are up for grabs as both are running to succeed outgoing mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft in the mayoral race. Daysog has already served two consecutive terms and would be termed out even if he did not run for mayor.
The two candidates receiving the most votes will be elected to the City Council.
Amos White
White founded the tree-planting nonprofit 100K Trees For Humanity, which has planted more than 400 trees in Alameda’s parks, according to his candidate statement submitted to the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.
White ran for the council seat in 2020 too, falling less than 100 votes short of being elected to office. Now, he is running on a platform of affordable housing, renter protections, public safety, and addressing sea-level rise.
“Fighting to protect our environment, I want to center [the] city’s resources on the existential threat of climate change and sea-level rise to protect our quality of life and ensure public safety,” said White in his candidate statement.
Hayward Mayor Mark Salinas, Emeryville Councilmember Kalimah Priforce, and Oakland Councilmember Janani Ramachandran have endorsed White’s candidacy.
Marcie Johnson
Johnson was the city’s social services manager and currently serves on the Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless Commission, according to her campaign website.
“I am committed to youth, strengthening social services to support individuals and families in times of need and actively contributing to decisions that prioritize infrastructure improvements,” Johnson said in her candidate statement.
Other priorities listed on her campaign website are funding infrastructure projects and focusing on sea-level rise mitigation efforts in the city.
Alameda County Supervisor Lena Tam has endorsed Johnson’s candidacy.
Thushan Amarasiriwardena
Amarasiriwardena has served as the president of the Alameda Free Library Board, and previously worked at Google and at the U.S. Digital Service — a federal agency that is a part of the Executive Office of the President — under Joe Biden.
According to his campaign website, Amarasiriwardena wishes to build more housing, make downtown more vibrant, and invest in infrastructure to fight sea-level rise, like seawalls.
“A universal call for safer, slower streets. Longtime residents who want to stay but are worried about getting priced out. Vacant storefronts draining the life from our downtowns. Climate change hitting our infrastructure, like the lagoons in Bay Farm. These are solvable. I’m running to solve them,” Amarasiriwardena said in his candidate statement.
State Sen. Jesse Arreguin, D-Oakland, the county supervisor Tam, the outgoing Alameda mayor Ashcraft, Vice Mayor Michele Pryor, and Councilmember Greg Boller have endorsed Amarasiriwardena, who also ran for the City Council in 2024.
Tyler Savage
For technology professional Savage, investing in local businesses and the development of Alameda Point are priorities, according to his campaign website. He also believes that making the city’s streets safer is critical, as is improving levees, storm drains, and other infrastructure that protects from rising sea levels.
Savage has served four years on the board of the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District, where he helped promote public health and environmental protection initiatives, according to his campaign website.
“Our greatest strength has always been the people who show up, support one another, and bring their unique experiences and perspectives,” Savage said in his candidate statement. “Together, we can create safe, accessible streets, support thriving business districts, and make thoughtful investments in the infrastructure that will serve Alameda for decades to come.”
Arreguin, Ashcraft, Pryor, and Boller have endorsed Savage’s candidacy.
Steve Slauson
Small business owner Slauson is a lifelong Alameda resident who will prioritize affordable housing development in the city, according to his candidate statement.
“I will continue to preserve Alameda’s historic single-family neighborhoods,” Slauson said in his candidate statement.
He also expressed support for continuing youth athletic programs like soccer and Little League baseball, and for the Police Department.
Finally, he added that he will support an end to taxation of food eaten at restaurants.
Maria Bondonno
In her candidate statement, attorney Bondonno said that her career in public service started as a deputy legislative counsel, providing legal counsel to the state’s lawmakers.
Then, she joined the California Public Utilities Commission in 2001, where she served as a senior attorney and advisor.
In addition to her law degree, Bondonno holds a master’s degree in communications.
According to Bondonno’s campaign website, development of mixed-use and affordable housing, fiscal responsibility, and climate change-resilient infrastructure are key priorities for her.
“Throughout my career as a civil servant, my work has centered on rigorous legal analysis and the faithful protection of the public interest,” Bondonno said in her candidate statement. “I look forward to representing your interests to the best of my ability.”