Cynthia Dai, a controversial figure in the 2022 redistricting process, has been rejected from the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force. In her place, Amerika Sanchez, a principal at Five Keys Schools, has been recommended.

The facts

Sanchez, a District 10 resident and principal at Five Keys Schools and Programs — which serves incarcerated and other disadvantaged adult students — received a 2–0 vote of support from Supervisors Rafael Mandelman and Stephen Sherrill at the March 24 Rules Committee meeting.

Cynthia Dai, a former elections commissioner and controversial redistricting figure, had also applied — but didn’t show up to the meeting.

Sanchez's appointment will now head to approval by the full Board of Supervisors.

The context

Dai had previously served on the Elections Commission, where she used her powerful position to try to derail the nonpartisan process. She helped lead the effort to remove some redistricting members and played a role in redistricting becoming a public spectacle.

Dai also faced public criticism over her efforts to oust SF’s longtime Director of Elections. She has since tried to undo the city’s finalized district map and reshape the redistricting process entirely.

The GrowSF take

Dai didn’t deserve a second chance — and we’re glad the Rules Committee agreed.

We don’t know much about Sanchez yet, but since Sanchez already sits on the Human Rights Commission, we'd have liked to see someone who isn't an insider get the seat.