1998 Oakland mayoral election

• Hugh E. Bassette
• Leo Bazile, attorney, former member of the Oakland City Council,^[2] candidate for mayor in 1990^[2]
• Jerry Brown, former Governor of California (1975-1983), former Chair of the California Democratic Party (1989-1991), former Secretary of State of California (1971-1975), candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in 1976, 1980, 1992
• Ignacio De La Fuente, member of the Oakland City Council since 1992^[3]
• Ces Butner, businessman^[4][5]
• Ed Blakely, urban planner, consultant to mayor Elihu Harris^[6]
• Maria G. Harper
• Mary V. King, Alameda County Supervisor^[7] and 1994 mayoral candidate
• Audrey Rice Oliver
• Shannon Reeves, head of Oakland NAACP (Republican)^[7][8]
• Hector Reyna, perennial candidate^[9]

Incumbent mayor Elihu Harris opted against running for a third term.^[10]

Brown entered what was already a crowded mayoral field in late October 1997, instantly becoming the race's frontrunner.^[10] A poll published in The Montclarion right before he formally entered the race had showed Brown garnering 47% in a hypothetical race.^[10]

Brown identified himself to be an independent, having declared himself to have left the Democratic Party.^[11]

Brown ran under the campaign slogan "Oaklanders First".^[11] He campaign actively, holding many events.^[11]

Brown was endorsed by, among others, former Berkeley, California mayor Gus Newport.^[8]

Brown was the only white candidate running in the race.^[11] Oakland was a majority minority city.^[12] Brown won a majority of the black vote.^[8]

Brown was heavily anticipated to win the election.^[11]

While Oakland had a weak mayor form of government, Brown was also campaigning to change this. He supported Measure X, a measure on the ballot in November 1998 which would change the city's model of government to a strong mayor for a period of 6 years. Ultimately, in November, Oakland's electorate voted by a landslide margin of 3 to 1 in support of Measure X, switching the city to a strong mayor system of governance prior to Brown taking office.^[13][14] Years later, in 2004, a referendum permanently extending Measure X later was passed, after failing to pass in 2002, making permanent the city's shift to the strong mayor model of governance.^[14]