Councilmember Sophie Hahn, left, and nonprofit consultant Adena Ishii at their Election Night parties. Credit: Kelly Sullivan and Adahlia ColeAdena Ishii has pulled ahead of Sophie Hahn in the race for Berkeley mayor, according to updated election results released Friday afternoon, potentially setting the stage for a monumental upset in the campaign to be the city’s top elected official.
Ishii held a lead of 441 first-choice votes over Hahn, which grew to 1,145 votes once ranked-choice preferences were taken into account. The update Friday afternoon was the first time Ishii has led in the race as results trickle in from county officials. Hahn had led since the first batch of returns were released on election night, but later updates showed Ishii cutting into her lead.
It’s not clear how many ballots still have yet to be counted, but most of the results county-wide are in. Friday’s update reflects the results of about 50,000 total votes; about 60,000 people voted in the mayor’s race four years ago.
Former Councilmember Kate Harrison continues to trail Ishii and Hahn by several thousand votes in third place.
If her lead holds, Ishii — a nonprofit and education consultant who has never before held elected office — would defeat two longtime fixtures of city politics, one of whom, Hahn, significantly out-fundraised her two opponents.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
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Nico Savidge is Berkeleyside's associate editor, and has covered city hall since 2021. He has reported on transportation, law enforcement, politics, education and college sports for the San Jose Mercury... More by Nico Savidge
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