Patricia (Pat) Kernighan, a politician and a lawyer, was a District 2 city council member in Oakland, California until 2014, noted for her advocacy of instant run-off voting in city elections.
Patricia Kernighan | |
|---|---|
 Kernighan in 2011 | |
| Member of the Oakland City Council from District 2 | |
| Preceded by | Danny Wan |
| Succeeded by | Abel J. Guillen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Eastern Washington |
| Spouse | Paul Gordon |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Oakland, California |
| Alma mater | University of Washington University of California, Hastings College of the Law |
| Website | PatKernighan.com |
Biography
editKerninghan, a native of rural Eastern Washington state, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in social sciences in 1973 from the University of Washington and a law degree in 1977 from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.[1][2][3]
In Seattle, Washington, while a college student in the 1970s, Kernighan was a member of the Feminist Coordinating Council, an organization that proposed a city ordinance to establish a commission on crimes against women and a protection unit.[4]
She was admitted to the California State Bar in December 1977.[citation needed]
Career
editShe was a legislative aide to Councilmember John Russo and later was chief of staff to Councilmember Danny Wan from 2000 until his resignation in 2005.[5]
She was elected to the Oakland City Council in 2005 and reelected in a 2006 election against challenger Aimee Allison.[6] In 2010, she defeated Jen Pae to win a third term.[7][8]
Abel J. Guillen succeeded Kernighan in 2014.[9]
Positions
editVoting system
editIn 2006, Kernighan co-authored a measure to implement instant-runoff voting in Oakland,[10][11] and voters approved the measure in November 2006.[12][13] Oakland began using the voting system in its November 2010 elections for mayor, three city council races and four other local offices.[14]
Lake Merritt renovation
editKernighan co-authored a measure to fund major park renovations around Oakland's Lake Merritt. The measure passed in 2002.[15][16]
Personal life
editShe is married to Paul Gordon and has two grown daughters.[citation needed]
References
editAccess to some of the links may require registration.
- ^ Heather MacDonald, "Local Elections Carry Weight," The Oakland Tribune November 7, 2006
- ^ Jonathan Wafer, Oakland Daily Planet, June 5, 2008
- ^ Heather MacDonald, "A Lot on the Line in Local Elections," The Oakland Tribune, November 7, 2008
- ^ University of Washington Digital Libraries, "Guide to the Feminist Coordinating Council Records," 1971-1977
- ^ Janine DeFao, San Francisco Chronicle - January 7, 2005 - "Wan resigns from City Council"
- ^ Berkeley Daily Planet (Nov 2006) Kernighan Reelected
- ^ 2011 Oakland Inauguration
- ^ Heather MacDonald, "Kerninghan Hangs On to Her Seat With Runoff," The Oakland Tribune, November 9, 2006
- ^ "Abel Guillen Enters Oakland's District 2 City Council Race". 26 March 2014.
- ^ "Pat Kernighan Op-ed Endorsing IRV". Fairvote.org. Accessed February 2012.
- ^ Fairvote.org News Archive - Instant Runoff Voting in Oakland
- ^ Offbeat and practical issues taken up around Bay Area, Heather Knight, San Francisco Chronicle, Nov. 8, 2006.
- ^ UC-Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism - Davina Attar and Adithya Sambamurthy (November 7, 2006) Oakland Adopts Instant Runoff Voting
- ^ Jessamyn Sabbag, Oakland Local (January 13, 2010) Archived March 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Measure DD at Oakland
- ^ NBC (May 7, 2010) Lake Merritt Is Set to Get Prettier
External links
edit- Official Biography at Oakland City Council
- Membership listing, the State Bar of California
- 2011 - KAWL News Interview with Councilmember Kernighan following Police Chief Anthony Brooks' resignation.(accessed 2 Feb 12)
- (May 5, 2010.) Oakland California Bankrupt - Councilwoman Pat Kernighan Calls Rest of Council "Crazy and Irresponsible"
- McLean, Kate (July 18, 2010). "Proposal for Marijuana Factories Prompts a Battle for Control." The New York Times.