Supervisor Preston Introduces “Voter Participation Act” Charter Amendment

SAN FRANCISCO — Supervisor Dean Preston introduced a charter amendment today to maximize voter participation in choosing representatives for all local offices by moving odd-year elections to even years. Over the past decade, even-year elections have achieved significantly higher voter turnout than their odd-year counterparts, sometimes doubling the percentage of voters casting their ballots.

“It’s good for our local democracy when we choose our public officials in elections where the majority of registered voters cast their ballots,” said Preston. “There is nothing democratic about elections that discourage voter participation, either coincidentally or by design.”

Under the proposed measure, the Mayor, Sheriff, District Attorney, City Attorney, and Treasurer, who are currently elected in odd years, would be elected during even years, joining the rest of their colleagues locally who are elected during even years. The measure would not change the timing for any other elections.

The proposed change would particularly help maximize participation by low-income voters, who face practical barriers to participation but turn out in significantly greater numbers for even-year elections when President, Governor, Congress, and Supervisor races are already on the ballot. In November 2020, ​​86% of registered voters cast their votes, including over 70% of registered voters making under $50,000. Less than 40% of voters in the same economic range cast their ballots in November 2019, and only 41% of all registered voters participated citywide.

Various organizations like the Greenlining Institute, which has long focused on social, political, and economic issues affecting communities of color, published research and a case study that showed that “holding local elections in odd years greatly reduces voter turnout, and a lmost certainly skews the makeup of the electorate.” Specifically, its analysis found that “low-turnout elections tend to be older, whiter and more affluent.”

Encouraging voter turnout for low-income and communities of color and voters overall stands starkly to national efforts by conservatives to undermine voter registration and participation through other more nefarious means.

“Increasing voter participation is essential,” stated Preston. “San Francisco should lead by example amid the anti-democratic attempts at voter suppression around the nation— there is no good reason to maintain a status quo that functionally excludes the vast majority of our most vulnerable residents from making their voice heard.”

A similar Charter Amendment (Amendment 1) in Los Angeles passed in 2015 with nearly 77% percent of the vote and has dramatically increased voter turnout and participation there in elections for local offices. Per a study by Common Cause California, the City of Los Angeles experienced a 400% increase in voters casting a ballot for elections in March 2020 compared to March 2015.

In addition to bringing more voters to the polls for important local elections, Preston’s measure will also give San Francisco voters breathing room in between elections and ultimately save the city money. After an unusual 2021 and 2022 election cycle with five separate elections, taxpayers have already paid nearly $30 million in election costs with more to come this year. If the amendment passes, taxpayers would no longer have to pay high costs for low turnout off-year elections.

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