Outreach Community Newsletter August 2026

Beginning in September, San Franciscans will start seeing the Department’s November election outreach campaign across the city, including in household mailers, neighborhood advertising, digital platforms, community events, and other outreach efforts.

This fall’s campaign, “One and All. Vote This Fall.”, emphasizes that elections belong to everyone and encourages San Franciscans across communities to make their voices heard in the November 3 Election. The campaign celebrates our city and its residents, featuring illustrations that highlight the many voting options available to San Francisco voters.

One of the campaign’s components will be an informational mailer delivered to approximately 300,000 San Francisco households in September. The campaign will also appear across digital and outdoor advertising and through our community outreach efforts as we work to keep the November 3 Election top of mind.

Throughout the fall, we’ll continue working closely with community organizations and ethnic media to help election information reach voters in the languages and through the channels they rely on.

We hope you’ll help us extend the reach of these messages by sharing election information through your own networks, newsletters, social media channels, and community events.

National Voter Registration Day is coming up on September 15, offering another opportunity to help San Franciscans get ready for the November 3 Election.

Whether you are hosting an event, sharing information online, or simply talking with the communities you serve, we encourage you to use National Voter Registration Day to remind eligible residents to register to vote and current voters to check that their information is up to date.

Voters who have recently moved, changed their mailing address, or need to update other information can take a few minutes to review their voter registration record now. Making updates early can help ensure voters receive their election materials and vote-by-mail ballot at the correct address.

Voters can also review or update their language preference for their ballot and election materials and make sure the signature in their voter registration record is current.

Eligible San Francisco residents can register to vote or update their registration at registertovote.ca.gov. Voters can check their current registration information through the Department’s Voter Portal at sfelections.gov/voterportal.

Planning something for National Voter Registration Day? We’d love to hear from you! Our Outreach Team would be happy to join your event and share trusted, nonpartisan information and resources about the November 3 Election. To invite us to your event or learn more about how we can support your outreach, email sfoutreach@sfgov.org, call (415) 558-6100, or visit us in City Hall, Room 48. We look forward to working together to help more San Franciscans get ready to vote this November!

Ranked-choice voting will be an important part of the November 3 Election, with voters using this voting method to elect candidates in several local contests.

With ranked-choice voting, voters can rank candidates in order of preference—first choice, second choice, third choice, and so on. Voters do not have to rank every candidate, and ranking additional candidates does not affect a voter’s first choice.

This fall, we will incorporate ranked-choice voting education into our outreach campaign to help voters become familiar with the process or refresh their understanding before Election Day. Voters can learn more about ranked-choice voting and practice marking an RCV contest at sfelections.gov/rcv.

As you begin planning your fall outreach, here are several important dates to keep on your radar:

• September: The Department’s citywide election outreach campaign and informational household mailer will begin reaching San Franciscans.
• Early October: Vote-by-mail ballots will begin being mailed to registered voters, and early voting will begin at the City Hall Voting Center.
• October 19: Voter registration deadline for the November 3 Election. Eligible residents who miss the deadline can still conditionally register and vote in person through Election Day.
• October 24 – 25 and October 31 – November 1: Weekend voting will be available at the City Hall Voting Center.
• November 3: Election Day. 501 polling places and the City Hall Voting Center will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

We’ll share more information about ballots, voting options, polling places, and ballot return options in the September edition of this newsletter.

Thousands of poll workers help make Election Day possible in San Francisco, and recruitment for the November 3 Election is underway.

Poll workers welcome voters, issue ballots, provide information and assistance, and help ensure polling places operate smoothly throughout Election Day. Poll workers receive training before Election Day and can earn up to $295 for their service.

We are especially focused on recruiting bilingual poll workers who can provide language assistance to voters. All language skills are valuable, with a particular need for poll workers who speak Chinese, Spanish, Filipino, Vietnamese, Bengali, Burmese, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Thai, and Urdu.

Interested individuals can learn more and apply at sfelections.gov/pw.

We’re excited to welcome another group of young San Franciscans to the Department’s Fall 2026 High School Elections Ambassador Program!

Held in connection with California’s High School Voter Education Weeks, the program gives high school students an opportunity to learn more about elections and voter pre-registration, and then put what they learn into action. With training, materials, and support from the Department, student ambassadors conduct voter education and pre-registration activities in their own schools and communities.

Our student ambassadors have already made a wonderful impact. During the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 program cycles, 82 students representing 15 public and private schools helped pre-register 458 future San Francisco voters.

This fall, we’re excited to build on that momentum. More than 40 students from 19 San Francisco high schools have already expressed interest in participating in the Fall 2026 program, which will run from September 14 through September 25.

There’s still time to join! If you know a San Francisco high school student who might enjoy being part of the program, please encourage them to visit our High School Student Programs webpage to learn more and submit an application. Applications are open through August 30.

Have you ever wondered how the Department conducts election processes before, during, and after Election Day?

San Francisco’s election process is open to the public, and anyone interested in learning more about how elections are conducted is welcome to observe.

Observation offers an opportunity to see firsthand the many safeguards, procedures, and people involved in administering an election and ensuring that every eligible ballot is accurately processed and counted.

The Department publishes a Calendar of Observable Activities so members of the public can see what is happening, when it is happening, and how they can observe. Throughout the November 3 Election cycle, members of the public can observe many different activities, including voting equipment testing, vote-by-mail ballot processing, Election Day operations, ballot counting, and the official canvass.

Many activities can be observed in person, and livestreams of certain election processes are also available for those who prefer to watch remotely.

Whether you join us for one activity or observe several throughout the election cycle, we welcome you to take a closer look at how elections are conducted in San Francisco. Learn more at sfelections.gov/observe, or watch election processes remotely at sfelections.gov/live.

Our community partners are among our most important messengers. Each month leading up to the November 3 Election, we’ll use this space to highlight a few timely messages that you can easily share through newsletters, social media, email, community meetings, or conversations with the people you serve.

This month, help us spread the word:

Get vote-ready now.
The November 3 Election is coming! Now is a great time to check your voter registration information, especially if you have recently moved or changed your mailing address. Check your information at sfelections.gov/voterportal.

Get familiar with ranked-choice voting.
Several contests on the November ballot will use ranked-choice voting. Voters can start preparing now by learning how RCV works and practicing how to mark a ranked-choice contest at sfelections.gov/rcv.

Help make Election Day possible.
The Department is recruiting poll workers for the November 3 Election, including bilingual poll workers who can provide language assistance to voters. Poll workers receive training and can earn up to $295 for their service. Learn more and apply at sfelections.gov/pw.

Over the past month, our Outreach Team has continued connecting with San Franciscans at community events and neighborhood gatherings across the city.

At each event, our outreach coordinators share nonpartisan election information and resources, from helping voters check their registration information to answering questions about the November 3 Election. We appreciate every opportunity to connect with voters and potential registrants across San Francisco and look forward to continuing these conversations throughout the fall!

Here are a few highlights from our recent events:

Event 1

Event 2

Event 3

Thank you for reading this month’s edition and, most importantly, thank you for being one of our trusted outreach partners.

When we return in September, we will have much more to share as the November 3 Election gets closer. In the meantime, please reach out if your organization needs election materials, a presentation, information for an upcoming event, or other outreach support.

Thank you for helping San Francisco get ready to vote this fall.

Warmly,
Your Outreach Team: Nataliya, Anmarie, Adriana, Max, and Edgar