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The Bay View newspaper has published a voter guide for every San Francisco election in the past 30+ years. For the March 5, 2024, election, we’re presenting two guides, our own Bay View Voter Guide and Jeremiah’s Social Justice Voter Guide, presenting Jeremiah Jeffries’ invaluable commentary. Many of the endorsements are the same.
Cast your ballot on election day, March 5, or any day prior at City Hall or in an official ballot drop box. For more information, call 415-554-4375 or visit https://www.sf.gov/departments/department-elections.
It’s a long tradition in the Black community to VOTE 100%. The Black vote can swing elections. That’s power!
Bay View Voter Guide
The presidential primary election is March 5. Here are the Bay View’s endorsements for San Francisco:
CANDIDATES
U.S. President: Write in Cornel West
U.S. Senator: Barbara Lee (for both the remainder of the current term and the new term)
U.S. Representative to Congress, District 11: No endorsement
California Senator, District 11: No endorsement
California Assembly Member, Districts 17 and 19: No endorsement
Superior Court Judge, Seat 1: Michael Isaku Begert
Superior Court Judge, Seat 13: Patrick S. Thompson
Democratic County Central Committee Member, Assembly District 17 (Eastside S.F.) (Vote for no more than 14): Cedric Akbar, Gloria Berry, John Avalos, Kristin Hardy, Anita Martinez, Vick Chung, Peter Gallotta, Patrick Bell, Jane Kim, Jeremy Lee, Michael Nguyen, Joshua Rudy Ochoa, Sal Rosselli, Sydney Simpson, Adolfo Velasquez
Democratic County Central Committee Member, Assembly District 19 (Westside S.F.): Leah LaCroix, Mano Raju, Gordon Mar, Sandra Lee Fewer, Connie Chan, Queena Chen, Natalie Gee, Frances Hsieh, Hene Kelly, Greg Hardeman
PROPOSITIONS
California Proposition 1, Mental Health: No
S.F. Proposition A, Affordable Housing Bond: Yes
S.F. Proposition B, Police Staffing: No
S.F. Proposition C, Transfer Tax Exemption: No
S.F. Proposition D, Ethics Laws: Yes
S.F. Proposition E, Police Procedures: No
S.F. Proposition F, Drug Testing Welfare Recipients: No
S.F. Proposition G, Algebra for Eighth Graders: No
Jeremiah’s Social Justice Voter Guide
Participating in this year’s primary election is about not giving up. It’s about working without a guarantee or knowing the outcome. One vote in front of the other, trying not to lose ground and maybe moving us forward. We work, we organize and we vote to move us forward toward a better world. If you want to push back against apathy, persevere in the face of adversity and seeming overwhelming odds, then this is the voter guide for you.
This voter guide relies on word of mouth and personal connections; please share with your family, friends and networks. Be sure to vote and work to make the world a better place.
“Not everyone who disagrees is an enemy and not everyone who agrees (or looks like you) is a friend.” – Rafiq KalamId-Din Sr., 1975
CANDIDATES
U.S. President: No endorsement, as the current president supports oppression, genocide and opposes self-determination efforts around the world.
U.S. Senator, term ending 2031: BARBARA LEE!
U.S. Senator, term ending 2025: BARBARA LEE! Thank goodness we get to vote for her twice on the same ballot! She is one of the few politicians I enthusiastically support!
U.S. Representative to Congress, District 11: Kevin Mullin*
U.S. Representative to Congress, District 15: No endorsement. There really aren’t any good choices. While Nancy Pelosi is the most qualified, she has shown her lack of humanity toward oppressed people time and time again.
California Senator, District 11: No endorsement
California Senator, District 17: No endorsement
California Senator, District 19: David Lee*
JUDGES It is important to pay attention who we elect in our judicial system. This is one of the few places that have a direct impact on people’s lives and families. We need to protect our courts from hatred, racism, bigotry and bias as much as we can. We need judges who will be fair minded and justice oriented. These two judges are competent and committed to justice based on their record.
Superior Court Judge, Seat 1: Michael Isaku Begert
Superior Court Judge, Seat 13: Patrick S. Thompson
The DCCC, our local Democratic Party leadership
In spite of the currently uninspiring leadership of the Democratic Party, this mix of longtime activists and young organizers and community workers will best represent the SF Democratic Party here.
*Democratic County Central Committee Member, Assembly District 17 (Eastside S.F.) Vote for no more than 14 – less is more! I recommend voting for only 12: Gloria Berry, Peter Gallotta, Patrick Bell, Vick Chung, Kristin Hardy, Jane Kim, Jeremy Lee, Anita Martinez, Joshua Rudy Ochoa, Sal Rosselli, Sydney Simpson, Adolfo Velasquez
*Democratic County Central Committee Member, Assembly District 19 (Westside S.F.) Vote for no more than 10 – less is more! I recommend voting for only 9: Mano Raju, Sandra Lee Fewer, Connie Chan, Queena Chen. Leah Lacroix, Natalie Gee, Frances Hsieh, Gordon Mar, Greg Hardeman
*Please know that these candidates marked with an asterisk are simply suggestions to bring out the best outcome; this does not mean alignment of values or personal integrity or constitute an endorsement.
PROPOSITIONS
California Proposition 1, Mental Health: No. Prop 1 amends the Mental Health Services Act and issues state bonds to finance this problematic measure that would direct funds away from local mental health services and solutions and redirect them toward more unwieldy state programs and institutions which are less effective, user friendly and accountable to local needs. While the resources are needed, this measure also makes changes to how current resources are deployed, leaving local communities and mental health services at greater risk in favor of slower bureaucratic state services.
S.F. Proposition A, Affordable Housing Bond: YES. Prop A provides critical funding for building and acquiring new affordable housing!
S.F. Proposition B, Police Staffing: NO! Prop B would condition staffing levels on amending existing or future tax funding. More police funding, for what and from who? Though part of this measure would protect the city’s current general fund from padding of the police overtime and budget by requiring an alternative funding source through the will of the voters for future funding, it will also increase the police budget and make it more difficult – requiring a two-thirds vote – to hold the police force accountable for its oversized budget and staffing. This measure extends the accountability review of the size of our police force timeframes from every two years to every five years, meaning less accountability. This measure is not good policy, promising funds that have not been established while creating higher thresholds for change and removing power from the Police Commission to make budget and staffing determinations. VOTE NO!
S.F. Proposition C, Transfer Tax Exemption: NO! Prop C is a big tax break for developers who have already made housing and small business space rental soooooo expensive. Now the mayor proposes to give them even more reason to do so. Say NO! The real estate developers need to pay their fair share and be more accountable for the affordability crisis we face in SF, not rewarded for it.
S.F. Proposition D, Ethics Laws: YES. These are important positive changes to our ethics policies to protect against corruption
S.F. Proposition E, Police Procedures: NO! Less accountability and record keeping for SFPD? VOTE NO on Prop E, which only strengthens the “blue wall” that prevents any kind of police accountability and increases police surveillance while decreasing accountability. When cops use force, it should be documented in writing. This proposed law is irresponsible and seeks to hide police misconduct.
S.F. Proposition F, Drug Testing Welfare Recipients: NO! This proposed law should be called the “Karen Empowerment Law” for bringing the problematic nature and mis-use of “reasonable suspicion” to city services. This proposal targets poor and working class people using city services with unnecessary medical tests and procedures, sharing of their personal and private data to receive city assistance that we already know they need and take any opportunity to deny them. This proposal is mean-spirited and an attack on some of our most vulnerable residents.
S.F. Proposition G, Algebra for Eighth Graders: NO! Leave the content of curriculum and learning off the ballot. This is a non-binding attempt to use the electoral ballot to bully educators into doing things the way of entitled wannabe politicians and providing political noise to detract from the real issues facing education. Math has state standards and a scope and sequence that has been thought out and implemented by educators. Algebra in eighth grade will not improve the educational outcomes for any students. The focus in middle school should be pre-algebra and foundational math excellence. It is more important for our 12- and 13-year-old students to solidify their math and reading foundations before starting high school and their journey to higher education. That should be the focus, not algebra. Not to mention the lack of funding for such an effort.
Jeremiah Jeffries is a San Francisco public school teacher and a co-coordinator of Teachers 4 Social Justice. He can be reached at empower75@gmail.com.
