Election could bring major shift to San Francisco Board of Supervisors
SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco Board of Supervisors will see an influx of new members after the November election.
The city staggers its elections for supervisors, and this cycle, the odd-numbered districts are on the ballot.
Jason McDaniel, a political science professor at San Francisco State University, said that with six seats at stake, the election will serve as a barometer of the city's political leanings.
"What's interesting for me is this election has been kind of an anti-incumbent election. But also an election where progressive politicians are on the defensive," said McDaniel.
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Nearly 3 million ballots cast in California for November election
Nearly 3 million Californians have cast their votes ahead of Election Day.
Supervisors Aaron Peskin from North Beach and Chinatown and Asha Safai from the Excelsior District are running for mayor, while Hillary Ronen from the Mission District is termed out.
The question that remains is whether voters will heed the advice of the departing supervisors for their replacements or vote for a fresh direction.
"It could be a very mixed election, with the electorate sending a lot of mixed messages. Maybe in these races though, I think, especially in the open seats, these incumbents are relatively popular in their districts, so maybe their endorsement will carry a lot of weight," McDaniel explained.
Three incumbents are being challenged in districts ranging from the Richmond District to the Panhandle and Tenderloin, as well as West Portal and Inner Sunset.
Some contests could serve as indicators of whether the city is shifting from progressive politics towards more moderate stances. Yet those choices might hinge less on broad political trends and more on hyper-local issues.
"Issues of schools and potential school closures or lack thereof. Issues of housing, issues of closing the Great Highway, these are the issues that locally, might sway this and they don't easily fit within the moderate progressive kind of spectrum," said McDaniel.
Former Mayor Willie Brown anticipates a high turnout due to the presidential election year.
While change on the Board of Supervisors is unavoidable, Brown said the candidates share more similarities than differences. He also said that what happens in one part of the city can resonate citywide.
"When people talk about the Tenderloin, even if you live in the west side, you're as concerned as I am, and I live on the east side," said Brown.
Voters in the odd-numbered districts will make their choices this year, and in 2026, those in the even-numbered districts will get their chance.