Department of Elections
City and County of San Francisco
John Arntz, Director
For Immediate Release
SAN FRANCISCO, Friday, February 2, 2024 – The Department of Elections will begin mailing paper copies of the March 5 Voter Information Pamphlet (VIP) to hundreds of thousands of local voters. In addition to the default postal option, the March VIP is available in PDF, HTML, and MP3 formats via voterguide.sfelections.org and in large print, CD audio, USB, and National Library Service cartridge by request. (Voters who choose an alternate format will receive either their alternate physical VIP or a link to a digital VIP via email or postcard.)
“We want to encourage voters to prepare for the March election by reviewing all official local and state election material carefully. Both our Department’s Voter Information Pamphlet and the California Secretary of State’s Voter Information Guide provide essential information about the candidates and measures appearing on this ballot,” said Director John Arntz. “We also want to remind all voters that both guides are available in multiple languages and formats, and we encourage them to review their options and submit their preferences to us.”
In addition to information about candidates and measures, the VIP includes information about voting options, election dates, accessible and multilingual resources, and poll worker service. The VIP also includes several pages with election-related information for San Franciscans who are unable to travel to the polls and who are involved in the justice system. These pages highlight the special voting programs available to eligible residents in these circumstances.
Finally, every VIP will include a sample ballot. While VIPs for voters registered with qualified political party preferences will include their party’s sample ballot, VIPs for voters registered without a qualified party preference will include four sample ballots. That is, along with the default non-partisan ballot, which has no presidential contest, such voters will see three sample “crossover” ballots of the American Independent, Democratic, and Libertarian parties. (These parties have chosen to allow no party preference voters to participate in their March presidential primaries.) Any voter who wishes to request to receive a different ballot can follow instructions on page 5 of the VIP.
Voters who wish to opt out of receiving a paper VIP and instead switch to the digital VIP delivery for future elections, may do so by login into the Voter Portal at sfelections.org/voterportal and navigating to the “Opt for Online Voter Information Pamphlets” tab. Receiving a digital VIP can help save both trees and city funds!
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Department of Elections
City and County of San Francisco
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
City Hall, Room 48
San Francisco, CA 94102