Outreach Community Newsletter May 2026

“As Election Day approaches, we encourage all San Franciscans to make a plan to vote and to reach out if they need assistance. Our staff are here to help ensure voting remains accessible, welcoming, and convenient for every voter.

We are available to assist voters throughout every step of the voting process. Whether voters need help registering to vote, understanding their voting options, navigating the vote-by-mail process, locating a polling place, or requesting emergency ballot delivery services, our team is ready to provide information, guidance, and support.

We encourage voters with questions about voting or election services to contact the Department as soon as possible. Reaching out early allows us to provide timely assistance and helps ensure every eligible voter has the opportunity to successfully cast a ballot in the June 2 Election.”

With Election Day just five days away, we are entering the final outreach stretch of the election cycle. This final phase of outreach is especially important as many voters begin making their final decisions about how and when they will cast their ballots.

Over the coming days, Department staff will continue working across multiple outreach channels to engage San Francisco residents. From community presentations and multilingual voter education materials to social media outreach, phone support, early voting services, and the ongoing support of our community partners, these collective efforts are focused on reaching voters where they are and helping make the voting process welcoming for all San Franciscans.

During this final countdown to Election Day, we remain focused on ensuring every voter has access to trusted election information, helpful resources, and the support needed to confidently participate in the June 2 Election.

In our April newsletter, we discussed the various voting options available to San Franciscans, with this information conveniently available in one location on our website: https://www.sf.gov/june-2-2026-consolidated-statewide-direct-primary-election

In this edition, we would like to highlight that during the final week of the voting period, currently underway, the Department offers emergency ballot delivery and pickup services for voters who are hospitalized, unable to travel to in-person voting sites, or otherwise need assistance returning their vote-by-mail ballots and have not yet cast their votes in the June 2 Election. We are grateful to collaborate with local healthcare partners to help ensure that voters admitted to care facilities still have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote, even when circumstances make it difficult to do so.

Any San Francisco resident who is hospitalized or otherwise unable to travel during the final week of the voting period may request emergency ballot delivery and/or pickup by calling the Department of Elections at (415) 558-6100 or emailing ballotdelivery@sfgov.org.

All Department staff involved in ballot deliveries are trained to protect voter privacy and uphold every voter’s fundamental right to cast a secret ballot. Staff are also prepared to provide language assistance and translation support as needed.

We would like to remind eligible individuals who have not yet registered to vote that they can still participate in the June 2 Election through California’s Conditional Voter Registration process.

Conditional Voter Registration allows eligible residents to register and cast a ballot after the standard voter registration deadline has passed, including on Election Day. San Franciscans may complete Conditional Voter Registration and vote at the City Hall Voting Center during the remainder of the voting period or at any polling place in the city on Election Day.

Every voter has the right to cast a ballot in a safe, respectful, and nonpartisan environment. State law prohibits intimidation, harassment, or interference of any kind.

On Election Day, the Department of Elections will work proactively to ensure that all voting locations remain welcoming and accessible to everyone. Poll workers and field staff are trained to support voters, maintain a calm and orderly environment, and promptly report any disruptive or concerning behavior to the Department so it can be addressed without delay.

To further support voters, we will post multilingual notices at every voting location explaining voters’ rights and how to seek assistance. If a voter experiences or witnesses behavior that feels intimidating or interferes with voting, they are encouraged to notify a poll worker immediately and contact the Department so staff can provide assistance and address the situation promptly.

Our goal is to ensure that every voter feels safe, supported, and able to participate in the election process without concern.

After the polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Night, the Department of Elections will begin releasing preliminary election results reports, which will be posted throughout the evening on sfelections.gov/results. These reports will provide San Franciscans with an early look at how the election is unfolding as ballots continue to be processed and polling place results are received from across the city.

The Department plans to release four preliminary reports on Election Night:

1. 8:45 p.m. – Results from most vote-by-mail ballots received before Election Day
2. 9:45 p.m. – Additional results, including Election Day ballots from reporting polling places
3. 10:45 p.m. – More Election Day polling place results
4. Around midnight – A final Election Night report once all 514 precincts have reported results

It is important to remember that all results released on Election Night reflect San Francisco ballots only. For statewide contest totals and statewide election results, voters and members of the public should visit the California Secretary of State Election Results page at https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov/

Election Night results are always preliminary and will not include every ballot cast in the election. Under California law, vote-by-mail ballots postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days after the election can still be counted. In addition, Department staff must carefully review and process provisional ballots, conditional voter registration ballots, and other ballots requiring additional verification before they can be added to the official count.

This careful work is an important part of ensuring every eligible ballot is counted accurately and securely. In the days following Election Night, the Department will continue the Official Canvass process, which includes verifying ballots, conducting required audits, and regularly updating results until the election is officially certified.

We encourage voters, candidates, media representatives, and members of the public to follow results updates online throughout Election Night and in the days that follow, as close contests may continue to change while additional ballots are counted. Under state law, the earliest date the Department may certify the local election results is Thursday, June 25, 2026.

We would like to express sincere gratitude to the many individuals and organizations supporting voters throughout this election cycle. We truly appreciate the partnership, dedication, and continued support we receive from communities across San Francisco.

We would especially like to thank our community partners, neighborhood organizations, healthcare facilities, language access advocates, and civic groups for helping share trusted election information and connect voters with the resources and services they need to participate in the June 2 Election.

We also extend our appreciation to the thousands of poll workers who will serve voters across the city on Election Day, as well as to the polling place hosts who generously open their facilities for voting. Their time, commitment, and willingness to support in-person voting help make the voting experience accessible and welcoming convenient for San Franciscans in every neighborhood.

Most importantly, we thank the voters of San Francisco for continuing to participate, stay informed, and make their voices heard.

Over the past month, the Department’s outreach team has continued building connections with communities throughout San Francisco while also welcoming members of the public to observe election operations firsthand.

As we wrap up outreach efforts for the June 2 Election cycle, the Department is already beginning preparations for the upcoming November 3 election. In the months ahead, outreach staff will continue expanding voter education efforts and identifying new opportunities to connect with voters across San Francisco’s neighborhoods and communities.

Here are a few highlights from recent outreach and community engagement efforts:

Provided information on how we conduct accessible, secure, and transparent elections

Educated voters on voting and registration for the upcoming elections at Chase Center

Informed SF residents of work opportunities heading into the June election

Thank you for reading this edition of our newsletter and for your continued partnership and support throughout the June 2 Election cycle. By the time we return next month, we hope many of you will have participated in the June 2 Election and helped encourage civic engagement within your communities.

In the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out if you need voter education materials, outreach support, presentations, or election information for your communities and organizations.

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