November 2008 San Francisco general election

The November 2008 San Francisco general elections were held on November 4, 2008, in San Francisco, California. The elections included seven seats to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, one seat to the San Francisco County Superior Court, and twenty-two San Francisco ballot measures.

Board of Supervisors

Main article: San Francisco Board of Supervisors elections, 2008

Superior Court

San Francisco County Superior Court Seat 12 election

Candidate		Votes	%
Gerardo Sandoval		156,227	53.50
Thomas Mellon (incumbent)		134,339	46.00
Write-in		1,449	0.50
Invalid or blank votes		96,097	24.76
Total votes		388,112	100.00
Turnout		{{{votes}}}	81.25%

Propositions

Note: "City" refers to the San Francisco municipal government.

Proposition A

Proposition A would authorize the city to issue $887.4 million in bonds to rebuild and improve San Francisco General Hospital. This proposition required a two-thirds majority to pass.

Proposition A

Choice		Votes	%
For		300,595	83.81
Against		58,049	16.19
Required majority			66.67
Total		358,644	100.00
Valid votes		358,644	94.01
Invalid/blank votes		22,851	5.99
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition B

Proposition B would establish an Affordable Housing Fund to acquire new affordable housing, funded by setting aside a portion of property taxes.

Proposition B

Choice		Votes	%
For		166,299	47.81
Against		181,534	52.19
Total		347,833	100.00
Valid votes		347,833	91.18
Invalid/blank votes		33,662	8.82
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition C

Proposition C would prohibit City employees from serving on most Charter-created boards and commissions.

Proposition C

Choice		Votes	%
For		124,395	38.06
Against		202,419	61.94
Total		326,814	100.00
Valid votes		326,814	85.67
Invalid/blank votes		54,681	14.33
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition D

Proposition D would allocate funds from new hotel and payroll expense tax revenues toward developing Pier 70, on the Central Waterfront, if a financial and land use plan is approved by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

Proposition D

Choice		Votes	%
For		226,513	68.07
Against		106,228	31.93
Total		332,741	100.00
Valid votes		332,741	87.22
Invalid/blank votes		48,754	12.78
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition E

Proposition E would change the number of signatures needed to recall city officials from a fixed 10% of registered voters to a scale of from 10% to 15% based on population.

Proposition E

Choice		Votes	%
For		195,605	60.10
Against		129,862	39.90
Total		325,467	100.00
Valid votes		325,467	85.31
Invalid/blank votes		56,028	14.69
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition F

Proposition F would shift City elections of some citywide offices from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years after November 2011.

Proposition F

Choice		Votes	%
For		144,592	45.00
Against		176,692	55.00
Total		321,284	100.00
Valid votes		321,284	84.22
Invalid/blank votes		60,211	15.78
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition G

Proposition G would "allow City employees to purchase retirement system credit for unpaid parental leave taken before July 1, 2003, as long as the purchase price covers all city costs."

Proposition G

Choice		Votes	%
For		202,011	62.47
Against		121,354	37.53
Total		323,365	100.00
Valid votes		323,365	84.76
Invalid/blank votes		58,130	15.24
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition H

Proposition H would establish public power in San Francisco, allowing the city to purchase public utilities, establishing deadlines on alternative energy use, allowing the City Public Utilities Commission to set rates, and allowing the Board of Supervisors to issue public utility bonds without voter approval.

Proposition H

Choice		Votes	%
For		133,214	38.62
Against		211,681	61.38
Total		344,895	100.00
Valid votes		344,895	90.41
Invalid/blank votes		36,600	9.59
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition I

Proposition I would create the Office of Independent Ratepayer Advocate to recommend public utility rates to the City Public Utilities Commission.

Proposition I

Choice		Votes	%
For		117,050	36.71
Against		201,811	63.29
Total		318,861	100.00
Valid votes		318,861	83.58
Invalid/blank votes		62,634	16.42
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition J

Proposition J would create a Historic Preservation Commission and allow it to make decisions regarding historic preservation in the city.

Proposition J

Choice		Votes	%
For		183,372	55.64
Against		146,194	44.36
Total		329,566	100.00
Valid votes		329,566	86.39
Invalid/blank votes		51,929	13.61
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition K

Proposition K would decriminalize prostitution, enforce laws against crimes on sex workers, and disclose all investigations and prosecutions of violent crimes against sex workers.

Proposition K

Choice		Votes	%
For		140,185	40.94
Against		202,235	59.06
Total		342,420	100.00
Valid votes		342,420	89.76
Invalid/blank votes		39,075	10.24
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition L

Proposition L would ensure first-year funding, furnish leased space, and define the scope and operations of the Community Justice Center.

Proposition L

Choice		Votes	%
For		132,097	42.54
Against		178,440	57.46
Total		310,537	100.00
Valid votes		310,537	81.40
Invalid/blank votes		70,958	18.60
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition M

Proposition M would prohibit landlords from engaging in specific acts of tenant harassment and allow such enforcement by court orders, rent reduction, monetary awards, and criminal penalties.

Proposition M

Choice		Votes	%
For		195,023	58.84
Against		136,416	41.16
Total		331,439	100.00
Valid votes		331,439	86.88
Invalid/blank votes		50,056	13.12
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition N

Proposition N would increase the transfer tax on properties worth $5 million or up to 1.5% and reduce the tax on residences that install solar energy systems or make seismic upgrades.

Proposition N

Choice		Votes	%
For		223,808	68.56
Against		102,621	31.44
Total		326,429	100.00
Valid votes		326,429	85.57
Invalid/blank votes		55,066	14.43
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition O

Proposition O would replace the Emergency Response Fee with a functionally equivalent Access Line Tax and revise the Telephone Users Tax.

Proposition O

Choice		Votes	%
For		208,044	66.74
Against		103,679	33.26
Total		311,723	100.00
Valid votes		311,723	81.71
Invalid/blank votes		69,772	18.29
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition P

Proposition P would change the size and composition of the San Francisco Transportation Authority Board from the entire Board of Supervisors to one consisting of the Mayor, the President of the Board of Supervisors, an elected City official selected by the Mayor, an elected City official selected by the President of the Board of Supervisors, and the Treasurer, and encourage the Authority to obtain expert financial review of its budgets and adopt City ethics and public records laws.

Proposition P

Choice		Votes	%
For		101,230	32.99
Against		205,665	67.01
Total		306,895	100.00
Valid votes		306,895	80.45
Invalid/blank votes		74,600	19.55
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition Q

Proposition Q would include more partnerships and businesses to be subject under the payroll expense tax and expand the tax exemption to businesses that have annual payroll expenses of $250,000 or less.

Proposition Q

Choice		Votes	%
For		233,411	74.20
Against		81,178	25.80
Total		314,589	100.00
Valid votes		314,589	82.46
Invalid/blank votes		66,906	17.54
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition R

Proposition R would rename the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant to the George W. Bush Sewage Plant.

Proposition R

Choice		Votes	%
For		101,376	30.25
Against		233,733	69.75
Total		335,109	100.00
Valid votes		335,109	87.84
Invalid/blank votes		46,386	12.16
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition S

Proposition S would make it City policy that voters will not approve new set-asides of City revenue that do not identify a new funding source, limit annual increases, and expire in ten years.

Proposition S

Choice		Votes	%
For		167,974	55.66
Against		133,817	44.34
Total		301,791	100.00
Valid votes		301,791	79.11
Invalid/blank votes		79,704	20.89
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition T

Proposition T would mandate the city to maintain funding for and provide enough free and low-cost substance abuse treatment services to meet demand.

Proposition T

Choice		Votes	%
For		200,649	61.24
Against		127,014	38.76
Total		327,663	100.00
Valid votes		327,663	85.89
Invalid/blank votes		53,832	14.11
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition U

Proposition U would make it City policy that representatives and senators in the United States Congress vote against further funding for deploying troops to Iraq, except for funds to withdraw such troops.

Proposition U

Choice		Votes	%
For		193,407	59.25
Against		133,002	40.75
Total		326,409	100.00
Valid votes		326,409	85.56
Invalid/blank votes		55,086	14.44
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

Proposition V

Proposition V would make it City policy to urge the San Francisco Board of Education to reverse its elimination of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC).

Proposition V

Choice		Votes	%
For		179,639	54.63
Against		149,169	45.37
Total		328,808	100.00
Valid votes		328,808	86.19
Invalid/blank votes		52,687	13.81
Total votes		381,495	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			81.25

External links

• San Francisco Department of Elections