It saw the reelection of incumbent mayor Jerry Brown.

Former Oakland City Council member Wilson Riles Jr., who had served on the City Council from 1979 until 1992, challenged incumbent first-term mayor Jerry Brown.

[4] A chief critique of Brown made by Riles was that the incumbent mayor was too cozy with downtown developers.

[1] Riles, ultimately, performed stronger than had been anticipated by many.

[3] Brown was also campaigning in support of ballot measure that would permanently extend 1998's Measure X, which had implemented a six-year period in which Oakland would be run under the strong mayor form of governance.