Breed’s picks show momentum in S.F.; toss-up for mayors of Oakland, San Jose
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins took a significant lead in early voting Tuesday as she defended her seat in a battle to complete the term of her recalled predecessor, Chesa Boudin.
The race to run one of the Bay Area’s highest-profile offices came as voters in the region weighed in on housing and tax policy, selected new mayors in Oakland and San Jose, and determined the future of three San Francisco school board members who, like Jenkins, were handpicked by Mayor London Breed after recalls.
In San Francisco, the election capped an acrimonious political year. Residents were divided over pandemic-era policies, public safety — especially property crimes like burglaries — and the city’s crises of affordable housing and homelessness.
A Jenkins victory would cement what has been a remarkable if turbulent ascent for the former assistant district attorney, who quit her job in Boudin’s office last year to become the most visible figure in the recall campaign against him. By joining the campaign, Jenkins established herself as a leading voice for critics who believed Boudin’s policies were too lenient and made San Francisco less safe.
Jenkins has faced scandals during her short time in office, including the revelation that she was paid by recall supporters while presenting herself as a volunteer for the campaign.
With a win, Jenkins would finish out Boudin’s term, which will end in January 2025 after city voters moved local races to presidential election years.
Two of Breed’s appointed school board members — Lainie Motamedi and Lisa Weissman-Ward — were elected Tuesday to four-year terms. The mayor’s third appointee, Ann Hsu, was leading three challengers to keep her seat, with votes left to be counted.
Five San Francisco supervi
sor seats were to be decided Tuesday. Perhaps the most closely watched was in District Six, a densely populated area that covers South of Market, Mission Bay and Treasure Island.
In early returns, voters were favoring Matt Dorsey, a former spokesperson for the Police Department whom Breed appointed six months ago when Supervisor Matt Haney left the office for the state Assembly. Dorsey was leading Honey Mahogany, Haney’s former chief of staff.
San Francisco voters had to sort out dueling housing measures in a city with a median home price exceeding $1.6 million. Breed backed Proposition D, meant to fasttrack housing construction. But progressives on the Board of Supervisors countered with Proposition E, which would require developers of market-rate projects to include more affordable housing than the competing proposal in order to receive shortened construction timelines.
With votes left to count, Proposition D was too close to call, while Proposition E was losing.
Voters passed Proposition H, sponsored by Supervisor Dean Preston, moving elections for mayor, district attorney and other offices to presidential election years in a bid to boost turnout. Breed, like Jenkins, will now be up for re-election in 2024, rather than next year.
Meanwhile, another pair of competing ballot measures was set to end a dispute over the closure of two key San Francisco roadways to vehicles. Voters were strongly favoring Proposition J, which would essentially enshrine a decision by city supervisors and keep John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park carfree.
Those wanting to reopen JFK Drive as well as a portion of the Great Highway near Ocean Beach to car traffic got behind Proposition I, but it was trailing late Tuesday. With a loss, the Great Highway would remain closed on weekends and holidays.
San Francisco voters passed Proposition C, a measure to create a new oversight commission for the city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. Proposition M, which would impose a new tax on vacant homes, was leading.
Across the bay, Oakland voters were picking a new mayor in a 10-person, ranked-choice race to succeed termed-out Mayor Libby Schaaf. Council Members Loren Taylor and Sheng Thao were the favorites heading into Election Day. Taylor had the most first-place votes in early returns, but there was a long way to go.
In the San Jose mayoral race, which was too close to call after early returns, Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez and San Jose Council Member Matt Mahan were battling to replace Sam Liccardo, who was termed out.
Another high-profile race, to replace retiring District Attorney Nancy O’Malley in Alameda County, pitted civil rights attorney Pamela Price against Chief Assistant District Attorney Terry Wiley. Wiley was leading, with votes left to be counted. No matter the result, the winner was to make history as the county’s first Black district attorney.