Voter Information Pamphlet Includes Information About All Contests to Be Voted on Throughout the City and County of San Francisco
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DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS John Arntz City and County of San Francisco Director sfel ections.org NOTE: This version of the Voter Information Pamphlet includes information about all contests to be voted on throughout the City and County of San Francisco. Not all voters are eligible to vote on all contests. Your sample ballot includes the contests for which you are eligible to vote. For more information, refer to your sample ballot, which can be accessed, along with the address of your polling place, at the address below: http://gispubweb.sfgov.org/website/pollingplace/ Also, because this version of the pamphlet is a compilation of the various versions of the printed pamphlets distributed throughout San Francisco, some page numbers are duplicated. The pages are also arranged in a different order from the printed version. For these reasons, we are unable to provide a Table of Contents. To find specific information, please refer to the bookmarks on the left side of this file. Voice (415) 554-4375 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 48 Vote-by-Mail Fax (415) 554-4372 Fax (415) 554-7344 San Francisco, CA 94102-4634 TTY (415) 554-4386 Page 1 of 1 2 General Information DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS JOHN ARNTZ City and County of San Francisco Director www.sfelections.org Dear San Francisco Voter: September 1, 2010 Ballot Worksheet In this election, all voters will receive five ballot cards. With so many items on the ballot, I want to draw your attention to the Ballot Worksheet located on pages 191–192, the last two pages of this Voter Information Pamphlet. The Ballot Worksheet lists every contest and measure and provides space for you to note your selections. Completing the Ballot Worksheet prior to marking your multi-card ballot will help you think through the material, and ensure that you vote on both sides of the ballot cards. Early Voting Before Election Day you can vote by mail or vote at City Hall, beginning October 4. Vote-by-Mail: The back cover of this Pamphlet includes an application to request a vote-by-mail ballot, and you can also apply online using our website: www.sfelections.org. Voting at City Hall: Beginning October 4, early voting is available in City Hall to all registered voters on weekdays (except the holiday) from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. On Election Day, City Hall is open for voting from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Weekend Voting: Early Voting is available in City Hall during the two weekends before the election—October 23–24 and October 30–31 —from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. For weekend voting, enter City Hall from Grove Street. Ranked-Choice Voting All voters Citywide will use the ranked-choice voting method for the offices of Assessor-Recorder and Public Defender. Also, voters in Supervisorial Districts 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 will elect their Supervisors using ranked-choice voting. The ranked-choice ballot has three columns, allowing voters to select up to three different candidates—one in each column—by connecting the head and tail of the arrow pointing to their choice. However, voters can still make fewer than three selections if they choose to do so. Accessible Voting Equipment Each polling place is required to have voting equipment that is accessible to voters with disabilities, and that allows people to vote independently and privately. To provide accessible voting, the Department will have one accessible voting machine in each polling place. Please note that, in accordance with Secretary of State requirements, the Department will transfer votes from the accessible equipment onto paper ballots and tally votes from these paper ballots at City Hall after Election Day. Our Website Our website—www.sfelections.org—is an excellent source of information for all voters. You can locate your polling place, apply for a vote-by-mail ballot, determine whether the Department has mailed or received your vote-by-mail ballot, and use an interactive demonstration for ranked-choice voting. After the polls close on Election Day, you can review election results which we will update approximately every 15 minutes. Contact Us To contact us directly, you can call the Department at 554-4375, 554-4367 (Chinese), or 554-4366 (Spanish) or visit our website —www.sfelections.org. Respectfully, John Arntz, Director Voice (415) 554-4375 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 48 Vote-by-Mail Fax (415) 554-4372 Fax (415) 554-7344 San Francisco, CA 94102-4634 TTY (415) 554-4386 38-CP2-EN-N10 General Information 3 Purpose of the Voter Information Pamphlet Before each election, the Department of Elections o a financial analysis, prepared by San Francisco’s prepares the Voter Information Pamphlet, which is Controller, mailed to every registered voter as required by law. o an explanation of how it qualified for the ballot, The pamphlet provides voters with information about local candidates and ballot measures, as well as how, o arguments supporting and opposing the when and where to vote. measure, and o the legal text of the measure. In this pamphlet, you will find: • your sample ballot, You may bring this pamphlet with you to your polling place. In addition, every precinct is supplied with a • candidates’ statements of their qualifications for copy. Please ask a pollworker if you would like to local office, see it. • information about the duties and compensation of the elective offices sought by those candidates, In addition to the San Francisco Voter Information • information about each local ballot measure, Pamphlet, there is an Official Voter Information including: Guide, produced by the California Secretary of State, with information on candidates for state and federal o an impartial summary of the measure, prepared office and state ballot measures. by San Francisco’s Ballot Simplification Committee, The Ballot Simplification Committee The Ballot Simplification Committee works in public meetings to prepare an impartial summary of each local ballot measure in simple language. The Committee also writes or reviews other information in this pamphlet, including the glossary of “Words You Need to Know” and the “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQs). The Com- mittee members have backgrounds in journalism, education and written communication, and they volunteer their time to prepare these informational materials for voters. The Committee members are: Betty Packard, Chair Adele Fasick Nominated by the Northern California Broadcasters Nominated by the League of Women Voters Association Christine Unruh June Fraps Nominated by the California Media Workers Guild Nominated by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Mollie Lee, ex officio Deputy City Attorney Ann Jorgensen Nominated by the San Francisco Unified School District 38-CP3-EN-N10 4 General Information Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) by the Ballot Simplification Committee Q: Who can vote? must complete and return a voter registration form to A: U.S. citizens, 18 years or older, who are registered to restore your right to vote. No other documentation is vote in San Francisco on or before the registration dead- required. line. Q: I have just become a U.S. citizen. Can I vote in this Q: What is the deadline to register to vote or to update election? my registration information? A: Yes. A: The registration deadline is October 18, fifteen days • If you became a U.S. citizen on or before the regis- prior to Election Day. tration deadline (October 18), you can vote in this election, but you must register by the deadline; Q: When and where can I vote on Election Day? • If you became a U.S. citizen after the registration A: You may vote at your polling place or at the Depart- deadline but on or before October 26, you may ment of Elections on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. register and vote at the Department of Elections by Your polling place address is shown on the back cover of October 26 with proof of citizenship. your Voter Information Pamphlet. You can also find it at www.sfelections.org or call 415-554-4375. The Department Q: I have moved within San Francisco but have not up- of Elections is located in City Hall, Room 48. dated my registration prior to the registration deadline. Can I vote in this election? Q: Is there any way to vote before Election Day? A: Yes. You have the following options: A: Yes. You have the following options: • Come to the Department of Elections in City Hall, • Vote by mail. Fill out and mail the Vote-by-Mail Ap- Room 48, on or before Election Day, complete a new plication printed on the back cover of this pamphlet voter registration form and vote at the Department or complete one online at www.sfelections.org. of Elections; or A vote-by-mail ballot will be sent to you. Your • Go to your new polling place on Election Day and request must be received by the Department of cast a provisional ballot. You can look up the ad- Elections no later than 5 p.m. on October 26, or dress of your new polling place by entering your • Vote in person at the Department of Elections in City new home address on the Department of Elections Hall, Room 48, during early voting hours (see inside website (www.sfelections.org), or call 415-554-4375. back cover for dates and times). Q: I am a U.S. citizen living outside the country. How can Q: If I don’t use an application, can I get a vote-by-mail I vote? ballot some other way? A: You can register to vote and be sent a vote-by-mail A: Yes.