As July draws to a close—marking the end of what has felt like the coldest month in San Francisco—we’re looking ahead to August with renewed energy and purpose. We’re excited to continue working alongside our outreach partners—each of you—to bring voter registration opportunities to every neighborhood and to increase awareness of the Department’s election services and programs.
This edition of the newsletter highlights the work of our multilingual staff and Language Accessibility Advisory Committee (LAAC) in serving San Francisco’s diverse communities, showcases youth engagement efforts, and provides key information and dates for the upcoming District 4 Recall Election.
We hope you find this edition informative and encourage you to help us expand the reach of these resources by sharing them within your networks. Together, we can ensure every San Franciscan has access to the information and tools they need to participate in upcoming elections.
Serving San Francisco’s Multilingual Communities
At the Department of Elections, we take pride in serving one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the nation. Every day, our Team works to ensure that all San Franciscans can access the information and services they need to participate in local elections.
We are fortunate to have a team of 12 dedicated staff members who bring language access to life through translation, in-person assistance, and community outreach. Whether they’re helping voters at our City Hall office, translating official materials, or engaging with communities at outreach events, their work is essential to our mission of equitable and inclusive service. Thanks to their efforts, every eligible voter has the opportunity to make their voice heard.
Looking ahead, with Vietnamese anticipated to become a covered City language in 2026, the Department will soon begin recruiting a Vietnamese-speaking staff member. We plan to share the job announcement in the next edition of this newsletter and hope you’ll help us spread the word.
Join Our Language Accessibility Advisory Committee
Continuing our commitment to serving San Francisco’s multilingual communities, the Department of Elections is proud to collaborate with local partners to expand voting access for residents with limited or no English proficiency. Through the Language Accessibility Advisory Committee (LAAC), we work alongside advocates, service providers, and community members to ensure that language is never a barrier to participating in local elections.
This year, the Department has hosted two LAAC meetings, during which members provided feedback on translated election materials, discussed outreach strategies for limited-English-speaking voters, and offered recommendations for improving language services at voting sites. Current committee members include representatives from the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs, Chinese for Affirmative Action, Asian Law Caucus, Southeast Asian Community Center, and the Chinatown Community Development Center, among others. Their insights have been thoughtful, practical, and truly invaluable to our work.
We are currently preparing for our next LAAC meeting on Wednesday, August 6, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Your voice can help strengthen language access in San Francisco, too. If you are interested in supporting this important work, we invite you to join the LAAC at sfelections.org/laacform.
To review past meeting agendas and minutes, visit sf.gov/language-accessibility-advisory-committee-laac-info.
Partner Spotlight: Emily Yang and Voters of Tomorrow San Francisco
Voters of Tomorrow conducting a voter resource table.
In this edition, we’re highlighting one of our dedicated outreach partners who is helping educate and inspire San Francisco youth to become active civic participants and future voters. Meet Emily Yang, a San Francisco High School Elections Ambassador and the Executive Director of Voters of Tomorrow San Francisco (VOTSF).
Founded in 2023 by Emily and two students at Lowell High School and Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, VOTSF is a youth-led organization committed to engaging and educating young people across the City. In partnership with the Department of Elections, Emily and her team have led pre-registration drives at high schools throughout San Francisco, explaining the importance of civic participation and encouraging eligible students to pre-register to vote.
Beyond pre-registration efforts, VOTSF has organized media literacy workshops, art contests, and voter resource tables at community events, all aimed at building informed and engaged future voters.
As Emily shared, “VOTSF is proud to partner with the San Francisco Department of Elections. Together, we're working to engage more young people across the city—helping them recognize the power of their voices in our democracy and encouraging them to register to vote and advocate for policies that represent their communities.”
We look forward to continuing our work with Emily and VOTSF to reach even more youth, foster civic awareness, and encourage the next generation to stay informed, get involved, and VOTE!
Helping Young San Franciscans Get Vote-Ready
In California, eligible residents can pre-register to vote starting at age 16. Our Outreach Team actively promotes this opportunity by partnering with local high schools, youth groups, and community organizations to help young people take the first step toward becoming lifelong voters.
If you know someone who is eligible to pre-register, take a moment to talk with them about it— it’s a simple step that brings them closer to making their voice heard.
Upcoming District 4 Recall Election
On September 16, 2025, voters in Supervisorial District 4 will decide whether to recall their current Supervisor. While this election involves a smaller number of voters—approximately 50,000 registered with a District 4 residential address—our Team remains committed to delivering the high level of service and support San Francisco voters rely on.
To help voters stay informed, the Department has launched a dedicated webpage at sfelections.gov, where residents can find information about the recall, including eligibility, important dates, and voting options.
The Voter Portal at sfelections.gov/voterportal has also been updated to display recall-specific content exclusively to voters registered in District 4. Voters in other districts will see a message indicating that their next election is scheduled for June 2026.
As Election Day approaches, there are several important dates for District 4 voters to keep in mind:
- Mid-August: Vote-by-mail packets begin arriving in mailboxes.
- August 18: Three ballot drop boxes open—at the Ortega Library, Parkside Library, and City Hall—and in-person voting begins at City Hall, Room 48.
- September 2: Last day to register and receive a ballot by mail. After this date, eligible residents can still register and vote in person at City Hall or at any polling place in District 4 on Election Day.
- September 16 (Election Day): City Hall voting center and 20 polling places across District 4 will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on Election Day or postmarked by that time if returned by mail.
Preliminary election results will be available at sfelections.gov/results beginning at 8:45 p.m. on Election Night.
Community Voices
When our Outreach Team attends community events, one of the most meaningful parts of our work is connecting with San Franciscans and hearing their personal stories about why they vote. These moments not only leave a lasting impression, but also spark conversations that invite others to reflect on their own reasons for voting.
We’re honored to share a few of the messages community members have shared with us:
Hayes Valley Resident - "[Voting] gives us some sort of sense of direction that we have given to the country. We would like for our rights and our ideals to be pressed and passed through."
Mission District Resident - "As a teacher here in the city, I think it's really important that we educate our folks on voting. Voting is a basic fundamental right and we need to make sure that our voice is heard every time there is an election so that the government can actually make the choices that represent the people."
Yerba Buena Gardens Resident - "I think it's important to register to vote because it's important to participate in our communities and exercise our right that many people have fought for. Also, it's super important to vote in local elections because your voice matters that much more."
Want to share why you vote?
We’d love to hear from you! Send us a message at elections.outreach@sfgov.org. Your story may be featured in a future edition of this newsletter and could inspire someone else to get involved and make their voice heard.
Where We Have Been This Month
Over the past month, our Outreach Team has been out across the City, connecting with San Franciscans where they are. Whether answering questions or sharing resources about voter registration and election services, we remain committed to helping every resident stay informed, engaged, and vote-ready. We’re grateful for the warm welcome we’ve received at each stop.
Here are a few highlights from our recent outreach efforts:
Sunday Streets Mission
Provided voter registration assistance to residents
OCEIA SF Pathways to Citizenship Workshop
Promoted language services and programs
Hayes Valley Carnival
Assisted voters with opting out of paper voter pamphlets
Until Next Month
That brings this edition of the Outreach Community Newsletter to a close! As always, we appreciate your continued partnership and dedication to strengthening civic participation across San Francisco.
We’ll be back in August with more updates and helpful tools. Until then, stay well and stay connected!
Warmly,
Your Outreach Team: Nataliya, Anmarie, Adriana, Tiff, Max, and Edgar