Progressives Could Lose Majority On SF Board Of Supervisors
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The balance of power on San Francisco's Board of Supervisors could be set to shift following Tuesday's election, in which six board seats were up for grabs.
The board's progressive faction has held a 6-5 majority over its moderates since the election of Supervisor Aaron Peskin last year, but three progressive supervisors -- Eric Mar, David Campos and John Avalos -- are termed out and two others were up for re-election.
While board incumbents on both sides of the fence appeared to be hanging on to their seats Tuesday night, with 99.6 percent of precincts reporting, Avalos' open seat in District 11 appeared to be moving into the moderate camp following a hotly contested campaign.
Ahsha Safai, a labor union official and public affairs professional who is considered to be a moderate, was leading in that race with 38.8 percent, with progressive Kim Alvarenga following at 32.2 percent.
Elsewhere in the city, Mar's District 1 seat appeared to be going to school board member Sandra Fewer, who had 38.6 percent of the vote to her rival Marjan Philhour's 35.5 percent.
In District 3, Peskin was winning re-election easily with 73 percent of the vote to Tim Donnelly's 26.9 percent.
In District 5, board president London Breed, a moderate, appeared to have successfully fought off a challenge from progressive Dean Preston, with 53.4 percent of the vote to Preston's 46.5 percent.
In District 7, Supervisor Norman Yee took a substantial lead at 39.3 percent of the vote, with his nearest rival Joel Engardio at 21.5 percent.
In District 9, progressive Hillary Ronen, who has Campos' endorsement, led with 57.1 percent of the vote. Her closest competitor, Joshua Arce, held 30.65 percent of the vote.
In addition to the six seats up for re-election, a seventh seat also remains in play Tues night as Supervisors Jane Kim, a progressive, and Scott Wiener, a moderate, fight for the District 11 state Senate seat being vacated by the termed out Mark Leno.
Whoever wins that election will leave a vacancy on the board that Mayor Ed Lee can fill with an appointment.
As of shortly before midnight Tuesday, Wiener held the lead in that race, with 52.9 percent of the vote to Kim's 47.1 percent.
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