By Richard Ivanhoe, with help from Christin Evans, HANC Board

San Francisco could see as many as four elections in 2022.  The first is on February 15, 2002.  Joaquin Torres, who was appointed by Mayor Breed to replace Carmen Chu as assessor-recorder, is running unopposed to continue as assessor-recorder for the remainder of his term (through January, 2023).  The measures to recall school board members Alison Collins, Gabriela Lopez, and Faauuga Molina also appear on this ballot.  February 15 is also the date for the special primary election for Assembly District 17, for a replacement for David Chiu, who was appointed as City Attorney by Mayor Breed.  This is a special election for the remainder of the term, which ends in January, 2023.

If no candidate for Assembly District 17 receives a majority of the vote, there will be a special general election for the seat on April 19.  Only the top two vote-getters will appear on the ballot.

The next election, on June 7 is the primary election.  There is a long list of offices up for election.  These include Federal offices:  US Senator (Alex Padilla’s seat), US Representative, California offices:  Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Assembly member, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Controller, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Insurance Commissioner, and 4 members of the Board of Equalization; and local San Francisco offices:  City Attorney and Superior Court Judges.  For the State offices, the top two vote-getters for each office move on to the general election.  The City Attorney election is a special election for the remainder of the present term, which ends in January, 2024.  The measure to recall District Attorney Chesa Boudin appears on this ballot.

Finally, there will be a general election on November 8.  This will include all of the offices from the June 7 primary, except for City Attorney, plus BART Director, CCSF Board, 3 San Francisco School Board seats, SF Assessor-Recorder, SF Public Defender, and Supervisor for each of the even-numbered district (our district, District 5, is odd-numbered).

Each of these elections, except for February 15, where the deadline for new ballot measures has expired, may have additional ballot measures. 

Each of these election dates is the last day to vote—mail-in ballots are sent approximately one month before each election date and early voting at City Hall begins around the same time.