5 Candidates Vie for Northwest Berkeley District 1 Council Seat

Five candidates are competing in the Nov. 3 election to represent northwest Berkeley's open District 1 seat on the Berkeley City Council, making the contest the city's most crowded council race as voters choose a successor to outgoing Councilwoman Rashi Kesarwani, according to The Berkeley Scanner.

In ballot order, the 5 candidates are Steve Kromer, Daria Wrubel, Laura Babitt, Ross Bernet, and Moni Gangopadhyay. Kesarwani, who has represented District 1 since 2018 and is not seeking re-election, has been a consistent vote for the council's moderate wing on police funding and tools, enforcement of homeless encampment rules, and the council's decision last year not to adopt a Gaza ceasefire resolution.

At a Sept. 28 candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Berkeley, Albany and Emeryville, as well as in candidate questionnaires and an August forum organized by the progressive coalition Flip the Berkeley City Council, the 5 contenders outlined contrasting approaches to automated license plate readers, police staffing, homelessness, and the Hopkins Street bicycle lane project.

Flock Safety Cameras and Public Safety Governance

A central policy divide in the District 1 race centers on Berkeley's contract with Flock Safety, the automated license plate reader vendor used by the Berkeley Police Department. Although the City Council voted in May to extend the Flock contract, the program's long-term status remains contested.

Gangopadhyay, who is backed by Flip the Berkeley City Council, opposed surveillance technology altogether, arguing that even a closed system could be subject to federal subpoenas without local notice. At the coalition's August event, she also called for a stronger Police Accountability Board with greater input into municipal policy, a continued ban on tear gas, dispatching mental health professionals to certain calls instead of police officers, and ending the use of police helicopters and police dogs.

Wrubel, who entered the race in part over Kesarwani's policing and surveillance positions, said she would have voted against the Flock contract and would remove Berkeley's existing cameras. She said she would consider license plate readers only if the data remained stored on city-controlled servers and could be accessed solely with a judicial warrant. Asked why Berkeley still lacks a 24/7 non-police emergency response alternative, Wrubel pointed to city budget priorities.

Babitt, who received the first-choice endorsement of the Berkeley firefighters union, criticized Flock's record and said Berkeley should not expand its relationship with the vendor, noting that other cities nationwide have divested from the company. While leaving open the possibility of evaluating another provider, Babitt argued that crime is down without a demonstrated correlation to license plate readers.

Bernet — Kesarwani's chosen successor, who holds the endorsement of the Berkeley Police Association and was the firefighter union's second-choice pick behind Babitt — and Kromer were more receptive to license plate readers while calling for contractual safeguards. Bernet supported slowing down procurement to solicit vendor proposals with privacy and data protections, saying the cameras are effective tools alongside civilian oversight, community policing, and alternative emergency response programs. Kromer, the only candidate to identify public safety as one of Berkeley's top challenges in his candidate questionnaire, said the city should evaluate the technology, its specific applications, and vendor contracts separately while maintaining accountability for police technology and spending.

Homeless Encampment Policies and Hopkins Street Bike Lanes

The candidates also split over how Berkeley should manage homeless encampments in District 1:

• Laura Babitt: Called for a street no-camping ordinance, arguing that the city's current approach has failed both unhoused residents and surrounding neighborhoods, while pledging to pursue state funding for mental health care, substance use treatment, and transitional housing.
• Daria Wrubel: Opposed a camping ban as criminalizing homelessness, noting that shelter offers frequently carry curfews and restrictions on pets and personal belongings, and urged the city to consult unhoused residents directly on what they need to move indoors.
• Moni Gangopadhyay: Emphasized speaking directly with people living in encampments and incorporating their input into city policy.
• Ross Bernet: Advocated a firm and compassionate approach aimed at preventing encampments from forming while expanding housing opportunities in regional coordination with Alameda County.
• Steve Kromer: Cited the legal complexity of balancing competing rights amid ongoing federal litigation affecting Berkeley's encampment rules.

On the Hopkins Street bicycle lane project — approved by the City Council in July just before its summer recess — Bernet was the strongest supporter, arguing that Berkeley needs streets where families can travel safely without cars while managing curb access for drivers and shoppers. Wrubel said she supported moving ahead only if the city resolves Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility, commercial loading zones, and parking retention in the commercial corridor. Babitt and Gangopadhyay both criticized the July council vote and called for additional safety and first-responder analysis, while Kromer faulted the council for voting before summer break without having all facts on the table.