NEWSOM SPOTLIGHTS IMPORTANCE
OF VOTING
Offers reminder on ranked choice voting method

Mayor Gavin Newsom
Photo(s) by Luke Thomas

From the Mayor's Office of Communications

November 1, 2005

Speaking at Portsmouth Square in Chinatown, Mayor Newsom yesterday urged San Franciscans to vote while also focusing on the recently implemented Ranked-Choice Voting Method. Ranked-choice voting allows voters to rank a first, second, third, choice for a single candidate.

On November 8, 2005, San Franciscans will vote in contests for three local offices: Assessor-Recorder, Treasurer and City Attorney. In addition, voters will decide on nine local ballot measures and eight statewide measures. The November 8th election will be the second election in which San Franciscans use ranked-choice voting to elect local officials. Voters amended the City Charter in March 2002 to require the use of the new voting method.

"The right to vote is an important and fundamental right that must never be taken for granted," said Mayor Newsom.

"An effective government is one that is responsive and accountable to its citizens and voting allows for the opportunity to have a voice in the political process," Newsom continued.

Ranked-choice votes are counted by having all first-choice votes counted first, and if a candidate receives a majority (50%+1) of the first-choice votes, that candidate is elected. If no candidate receives a majority of the first-choice votes, a process of eliminating candidates and transferring votes begins. The candidate who received the fewest number of first choice votes is eliminated, and votes cast for the eliminated candidate are transferred to the voter's next-choice candidate. The votes are then recounted. If any candidate receives a majority of the remaining votes, that candidate is elected. If no candidate receives a majority of the remaining votes, the process of eliminating candidates and transferring votes is repeated, until one candidate receives a majority.

Jackson Zhou, Community Outreach Coordinator
for San Francisco Department of Elections

San Francisco voters will use ranked choice voting to elect the following officials: Mayor, Sheriff, District Attorney, City Attorney, Treasurer, Assessor-Recorder, Public Defender, and members of the Board of Supervisors. The recently implemented Ranked Choice Voting does not apply to candidates for School Board, Community College Board, nor candidates for State and Federal Office.

Charles McNulty, San Francisco Department of Elections

Arturo Cosenza, San Francisco Department of Elections

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