OAKLAND – The Oakland City Council elected first-term Councilwoman Lynette Gibson McElhaney council president Monday by a vote of 6-1.

Only Councilman Noel Gallo objected to Gibson McElhaney’s bid to become president, nominating Councilman Larry Reid instead. Having already nominated Gibson McElhaney, Reid declined the nomination.

Reid was then unanimously elected the Council’s president pro tem. Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan was elected vice mayor.

Some public speakers took issue with a councilwoman with only two years of experience becoming council president, preferring longstanding councilmembers like Reid, entering his 18th year in office, or Desley Brooks, entering her 13th.

But others such as Dave Campbell, advocacy director for Bike East Bay, said Gibson McElhaney has already shown the leadership to lead the City Council in her short time in office.

Sports metaphors dominated the discussion over experience. Campbell said that the way Oakland sports teams get into the playoffs is to “Put our talent into the starting lineup and let them shine,” regardless of how much experience they have.

Gibson McElhaney continued the sports metaphors in brief remarks accepting her new leadership role.

“Not one of us will ever bat a thousand, but together we can win championships for our communities and this town,” she said to her colleagues on the Council.

She said she hopes to “continue on the good work over the last two years to raise the professional standards of this organization.”

Gibson McElhaney was elected to the Council in 2012, taking over District 3 from retiring Councilwoman Nancy Nadel. Her district comprises West Oakland and downtown.

She had little government experience when she was elected, but had extensive nonprofit experience as executive director of Neighborhood Housing Services of the East Bay, a low-income housing assistance agency.

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