How to give Public Comment in Alameda County

Thanks for giving public comment at an upcoming Alameda County meeting!  Giving public comment may be confusing to navigate when you first start.  This page breaks down the three pieces you need to give an effective public comment:

1. Getting into the meeting
2. Getting time to speak in the meeting
3. Crafting your public comment

If you ever have trouble navigating public comment, please ask for help from others around, including the County Clerk, or whoever suggested you give public comment. Thanks for speaking up!

Alameda County's public hearings are generally held hybrid, which means you can give public comment either in person or by Zoom.

Most of the Board of Supervisor's meetings, or Board committee meetings, are held in 
Board of Supervisors Chambers, 5th floor 
County Administration Building 
1221 Oak Street, Oakland, CA 94612 
NOTE: there is a security screen (x-ray) to enter the building

For a Zoom option, check the agenda, which will note "teleconferencing guidelines":

• Link to Board meeting agendas
• Link to Board committee meeting agendas

Agenda items generally include presentations and questions from the Board members. Public comment may be taken before or after any presentations or questions; the timing is up to whoever is presiding as Chair of that meeting.

IN PERSON - Getting time to speak in the meeting

When you arrive, go up to the front of the room, where the Clerk is sitting. You will see speaker slips on the table in front of you; fill one out with the agenda item you wish to speak on, and return the speaker slip to the Clerk.

 ZOOM - Getting time to speak in the meeting

If you are on Zoom, you must wait until the Clerk announces it is time for public comment. At that time, use the Zoom "Raise hand" feature to be recognized to speak. Note that if you "Raise hand" before the Clerk announces the public comment period has opened, there is some risk that the Clerk will lower your hand. Keep a close eye on whether your "Raise hand" is still raised during public comment. Lowering and re-raising your hand will put you later in the queue of public speakers.

Regular Board meetings - when public comments are taken

Public comments are taken all at once at the beginning of the meeting, except for "set agenda matters". "Set agenda" public comment is usually taken when the item is called, and usually after any presentation and Supervisor discussion, just before any vote is held. Again, this is at the discretion of the Chair of the meeting.

Comments are generally limited to 2 minutes, which can go quickly. If you are newer to giving public comment, you may want to write a script for yourself and time it to make sure you get to say all you want within 2 minutes (about 250 words). You can use talking points provided by anyone who's asked you to give public comment. Try to make the talking points your own as much as possible - what perspectives can you bring from your lived experiences?

Note that the Brown Act (a California state law) makes it very challenging and potentially illegal for anyone seated on the dais to directly respond to your statement. Sometimes a meeting's Chair may ask for the person who made a presentation to answer your question, but there is no guarantee they will do so. It can be more effective to state your opinion than to ask a question directed at anyone in the room.

Sometimes public comment may be limited to 1 minute

The Chair may elect to limit public comment due to the number of public commenters. For example, they may limit each speaker to only one minute of public comment, and additionally limit all public comment to the space of an hour. This is all entirely at the discretion of the Chair of the meeting.

If you are mobilizing with more than a few dozen people, consider preparing a 1-minute version of your public comment, and also consider how you may best use your one minute.