Amid toxic turn in Berkeley politics, voters set to choose Arregun's successor as mayor

Berkeley voters will elect a new mayor this November to lead the city as it confronts housing and homelessness crises amid an economy that is still recovering from the COVID pandemic.

Five candidates — including current and former members of the Berkeley City Council and an education consultant — are vying to succeed Mayor Jesse Arreguín, who is giving up his position after eight years to run for state Senate.

The city has a weak mayoral system in which the chief executive’s job is primarily to manage the City Council. The mayor also holds one of the nine council seats.

The next mayor will have to address a toxic political environment that has emerged in Berkeley, in which two council members, including one of the mayoral candidates, resigned early this year in the span of a month amid criticisms of the political climate.



https://www.sfchronicle.com/eastbay/article/berkeley-mayor-s-race-turns-3-top-contenders-19871218.php