Department of Elections
City and County of San Francisco
John Arntz, Director
For Immediate Release
SAN FRANCISCO, Monday, January 29, 2024 – This week, the USPS will begin delivering the nearly 500,000 vote-by-mail (VBM) ballot packets prepared by the Department of Elections for San Francisco voters to use in the upcoming election. Each VBM packet will include a two-card ballot, a postage-paid ballot return envelope, voting instructions, and an “I Voted” sticker. On Monday, February 5, the Department will also open the City’s accessible vote-by-mail system (AVBM) at sfelections.org/access. AVBM allows any voter to download and mark a ballot using a screen-reader or personal assistive technology such as a head-pointer or sip and puff.
Each VBM packet will include a ballot corresponding to a voter’s political party preference, or lack thereof. While a voter registered with a qualified political party preference will receive their party’s ballot, a voter with no political party preference will receive either the default non-party ballot (with no presidential primary contest), or their requested crossover ballot. In this election, crossover ballots are available from the American Independent, Democratic, and Libertarian parties.
Voters with no political party preference who are yet to submit their crossover ballot request, can do so at sfelections.org/voterportal, by calling (415) 554-4375, or by texting “START” to (415) 941-5495 followed by their name, date of birth, address, and ballot request. Once their ballot request is processed (usually within two business days), the Department will mail the requester their replacement ballot.
“I encourage every voter to review the ballot in their vote-by-mail packet to make sure it includes their preferred presidential candidate,” said Director John Arntz. “We at the Department of Elections also want you to know it will be possible to request your replacement ballot up through Election Day, March 5. Our multilingual staff will be standing by to assist you via telephone, email, or at City Hall. We are also training our poll workers to be able to explain ballot options to voters on Election Day and issue voters’ preferred ballots.”
Any local voter can track their VBM ballot and see when it is mailed, received, and counted by navigating to the “Track My Ballot” tab at sfelections.org/voterportal, signing up to receive SMS text, email, or voicemail updates at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov, or by contacting the Department of Elections.
To learn more about the March 5, 2024 election, visit sfelections.org/primary or contact the Department at (415) 554-4375 or SFVote@sfgov.org.
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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
(415) 554-4375
sfelections.org