Yes on Proposition H
Move off-year elections to presidential election years
What is it?
Proposition H is a Charter Amendment introduced by the Board of Supervisors which will change the election for Mayor, Sheriff, District Attorney, City Attorney, and Treasurer to be elected in the same election as President of the United States and Supervisor districts 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11.
It also makes a minor technical change to the number of signatures citizens need to collect to qualify a ballot measure. The change sets the threshold of valid signatures at roughly 10,000, which is roughly the same as it is now.
Fiscal impacts
Prop H will save the city nearly $7 million in 2023 and in each subsequent year when those off-cycle elections would have otherwise taken place.
Why is this on the ballot?
This is a City Charter amendment. All charter amendments must be approved by a 50% + 1 majority.
- Sponsor: Supervisor Dean Preston
- Co-Sponsors: Supervisor Aaron Peskin
- Placed on ballot by: Supervisors Connie Chan, Myrna Melgar, Aaron Peskin, Dean Preston, Hillary Ronen, Ahsha Safaí, and Catherine Stefani.
Why vote Yes?
This is a simple good-governance ballot measure. San Francisco has too many elections, and consolidating the Mayor and District Attorney elections to presidential election years will not only increase turnout in those elections, but it will give voters a chance to enjoy the city instead of participating in yet another election.
The research shows that higher-turnout elections tend to result in moderate candidates getting elected because they must appeal to a larger electorate rather than cater to small special interests. Given that over 70% of San Franciscans are unhappy with the direction of the city, we think higher turnout elections will result in the unhappy majority gaining the ability to fix the city.