Ballots Sent Out For San Francisco School Board Recall Election, Assembly Contest
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – Ballots are being sent out to San Francisco residents as voting begins in the February 15 municipal election, where three members of the city's Board of Education face a potential recall.
The city's Department of Elections announced that more than 500,000 vote-by-mail packets are on their way to voters and that voters should expect them starting this week.
Elections officials said starting with this election, voters can submit their ballots at any one of nearly three dozen official drop boxes in the city, along with City Hall. The boxes will be available starting Tuesday through 8 p.m. on Election Day.
"These boxes will be available 24/7 and provide voters with an additional secure, accessible, and contact-free method to return their ballots to the Department," said elections director John Arntz.
Early in-person voting at City Hall will also be available starting Tuesday. The voting center will be open weekdays through Election Day, and on weekends during the first two weekends in February.
Along with the above options, in-person voting at polling places will be available 7 a.m. through 8 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots can also be mailed, but must be postmarked by February 15.
On the ballot, voters will decide whether or not to recall board members Alison Collins, Gabriela Lopez and Faauuga Moliga after supporters submitted tens of thousands of signatures to force a recall on each candidate.
The election comes after some parents expressed frustrations with the school board on multiple issues. Recall supporters had cited the pace of the resumption of in-person learning during the pandemic, with many students not on campuses for more than a year. Supporters also cited a controversial effort to rename schools.
Voters will decide on each candidate facing recall separately. If voters decide to recall any board member, Mayor London Breed will appoint their replacement.
Along with the recall, a primary is being held in the 17th Assembly District to replace David Chiu, who left the legislature after being appointed San Francisco City Attorney. The contest is between four Democrats, which include former San Francisco Supervisor David Campos, current Supervisor Matt Haney, entrepreneur Bilal Mahmood and City College trustee Thea Selby.
Election officials said if none of the Assembly candidates receives a majority, the two candidates with the most votes will face off in an election in April.
More information on drop box locations and other election information can be found on the city's elections website.