The race for two expiring Emeryville City Council seats officially began Monday, July 13, with the nomination period now open.
Incumbents David Mourra and Kalimah Priforce have both publicly indicated they intend to seek second four-year terms, though no candidacy becomes official until nomination papers are filed with the City Clerk.
Priforce announced his reelection campaign on June 23 with the caption, “Time to put on a show.”
Priforce has increasingly aligned himself with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) supporting their candidates including recalled D.A. Pamela Price. He’s separated himself from other councilmembers by frequently challenging its pro-housing “YIMBY” policies, arguing that market-driven deregulation alone will not make housing affordable.
A June 23 post on instagram announcing his pursuit of a second term.
Mourra, who served as Emeryville’s mayor in 2025, has established a reputation as one of the council’s more fiscally cautious members, frequently scrutinizing city expenditures. Most recently, he questioned the city‘s proposed $32 million investment in a 68-unit affordable housing development. While the council initially , the item returned at a subsequent meeting and passed after Priforce changed his vote in support of the project, with Mourra .
Bridgewater Condo resident Corry Frydlewicz has emerged as the first challenger to enter the race. Frydlewicz, an HOA board member who has lived in Emeryville since 2021, lists his priorities as expanding affordable housing, supporting small businesses, improving accessible infrastructure, and fostering “productive and cooperative council proceedings.”
Frydlewicz and Priforce have occasionally clashed on social media. Most recently, Frydlewicz criticized Priforce’s defense of Emeryville Tattler publisher Brian Donahue after Donahue was served with a restraining order related to the harassment of city staff, calling Priforce’s position “disheartening” and “insanity.”
Priforce fired back at Frydlewicz with a lengthy response questioning his qualifications of assessing Donahue’s mental state and saying his responses were “reactionary” and “[not] rooted in the best interests of the public.”
The nomination period closes on August 7. If either incumbent does not complete the filing process, the deadline will be extended to August 12 for non-incumbent candidates.
The City Clerk will publish the final list of qualified candidates with their candidate statements after the filing period concludes.
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