Outreach Community Newsletter October 2026

“With Election Day almost here, we want every San Franciscan to know that the Department of Elections is ready to help you participate. Whether you need a replacement ballot, language assistance, or a voting option that meets your needs, please contact us as soon as possible so we can assist you before polls close on Election Night.

This commitment to serving voters extends throughout our community. We are grateful to our community partners for sharing trusted election information and connecting residents with our services, to our poll workers for preparing to welcome and assist voters on Election Day, and to our polling place hosts for opening their doors for voting. Most of all, we thank San Francisco’s voters for taking the time to cast their ballots. We are proud to serve you.”

With Election Day just five days away, there’s no time to put voting off until later. In these final days, our Outreach team will be in the community helping San Franciscans review their voting options and get any assistance they need.

Our staff are also available by phone, email, and in person on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., this weekend from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Contact us at (415) 558-6100, email us at sfvote@sfgov.org, or visit us at City Hall, Room 48.

In last month’s newsletter, we shared the various voting options available to San Franciscans. Information about these options is available in one convenient place on our November 3 Election webpage.

With the final days of voting now underway, we would like to highlight our emergency ballot delivery and pickup services. These services are available to voters who have not yet voted in the November 3 Election and are hospitalized, unable to travel to a voting location, or need assistance returning their vote-by-mail ballots.

Whether a voter needs a ballot brought to them or help returning a completed ballot, our staff can provide assistance and support needed to participate. To request ballot delivery, pickup, or both, voters can call the Department at (415) 558-6100 or email ballotdelivery@sfgov.org.

Department staff providing these services are trained to protect voter privacy and uphold every voter’s right to cast a secret ballot. Staff are also prepared to provide language assistance and accessible voting support as needed.

Missing the voter registration deadline does not mean missing the opportunity to vote. Eligible San Franciscans who have not yet registered can still participate in the November 3 Election through Conditional Voter Registration.

This process allows eligible residents to register and cast a provisional ballot in person after the standard registration deadline, including on Election Day. Conditional Voter Registration is available at the City Hall Voting Center during the remainder of the voting period and at any polling place in San Francisco on Election Day. After the Department verifies eligibility and completes the registration process, the ballot will be counted.

We encourage eligible residents who have not yet registered to take advantage of this opportunity. There is still time to register, vote, and have a voice in the November 3 Election.

Every voter has the right to cast a ballot privately and without intimidation, harassment, or interference. The Department of Elections is committed to keeping voting locations safe, welcoming, and accessible for voters, poll workers, and observers.

We have trained all poll workers and field staff to recognize and respond to potential intimidation or disruptive conduct, including situations involving armed individuals, unauthorized uniformed personnel, or federal agents. Training also addressed improper questioning about citizenship, immigration status, or eligibility, and the steps staff should take in these circumstances.

Approximately 60 roving field staff will support polling places throughout Election Day. Staff at the Election Center, which serves as our Election Day hotline, will assess reported concerns and work with senior Department staff, who will coordinate with appropriate local and state agencies and arrange additional field or public safety assistance as needed. To help voters report concerns, multilingual notices at each polling place will explain their rights and how to seek assistance.

Voters who experience or witness a possible intimidation or interference at a voting location should call (415) 558-6100. Department staff can respond to concerns and help identify other voting options, including voting at the City Hall Voting Center, returning a ballot by mail or at one of the City’s 37 official ballot drop boxes, or arranging emergency ballot delivery or pickup when needed.

Our staff will make every effort to help every voter participate in the November 3 Election!

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 offer an early look at how the election is unfolding and be released as follows:

• Approximately 8:45 p.m. – Results from most vote-by-mail ballots received and processed before Election Day.
• Approximately 9:45 p.m. – Additional results, including available vote totals from ballots cast at polling places.
• Approximately 10:45 p.m. – Additional polling place results received since the previous report.
• Around midnight, after all polling places have reported – The final Election Night report, including the remaining polling place results.

All reports issued by the Department reflect votes cast in San Francisco only. For statewide results, members of the public should visit the California Secretary of State Election Results page at https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov/

Election Night results are preliminary and do not include every ballot cast. Under California law, vote-by-mail ballots postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days after the election remain eligible to be counted. Our staff must also review and process provisional ballots, conditional voter registration ballots, and other ballots requiring additional verification before adding them to the count.

This work continues during the Official Canvass, which includes verifying ballots, conducting required audits, and ensuring that every eligible ballot is counted accurately and securely.

Voters, candidates, media representatives, and other interested members of the public are encouraged to follow results updates on Election Night and in the days that follow. Under state law, the earliest date the Department may certify local election results is Wednesday, November 25, 2026.

These are our final messages before Election Day, and we appreciate your help sharing them through newsletters, social media, community events, and conversations with the people you serve.

Returning a vote-by-mail ballot? Remember to sign the envelope.
After marking the ballot, voters should place it inside the return envelope, seal and sign the envelope, and return it promptly. Ballots can be returned by mail, at any of San Francisco’s 37 official ballot drop boxes, or at a voting location. Voters can track their ballots at sfelections.gov/voterportal.

The City Hall Voting Center is open, including this weekend.
Voters can cast or drop off a ballot, receive language assistance, use accessible voting equipment, or get help with other voting needs. Hours are weekdays, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; this weekend, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; and Election Day, 7 a.m.–8 p.m.

It’s not too late to register and vote.
Eligible San Franciscans who missed the registration deadline can still register and cast a ballot through Conditional Voter Registration at the City Hall Voting Center or at any San Francisco polling place on Election Day.

Over the past month, the Department’s Outreach team continued to connect with communities throughout San Francisco and welcomed visitors to learn about election operations firsthand.

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

During a tour of the Department, participants observed preparations for the election and learned about the procedures and safeguards that help make voting accessible, secure, and transparent.

Registered Valkyries fans to vote and provided information about the upcoming November election, including voting options and important dates.

Informed the public on voter registration options after the deadline to register the vote had passed. Assisted registered voters to opt-out of the paper Voter Information Pamphlet and receive it digitally instead.

Thank you for reading this edition of our newsletter and for your continued partnership and support. As we approach November 3, we wish everyone a smooth Election Day and a positive voting experience.

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