Local redistricting in San Francisco

Redistricting is the process of redrawing political boundaries to determine how communities are represented in government. Districts are redrawn every 10 years at the local, state, and federal levels in order to adjust for population changes revealed by the U.S. Census.

In San Francisco, the 2021–2022 local redistricting process focuses on the Board of Supervisors district map. There are 11 supervisor districts in the city. If you live in San Francisco, you live in a supervisor district — look up your current district.

Redistricting affects political power. In San Francisco, redistricting determines who will appear on your ballot and what parts of the city they will represent. Redistricting can affect your community's ability to elect a supervisor who represents your interests and responds to your needs. By participating in local redistricting, you, your neighbors, and your community can have a voice in San Francisco's democracy.

Redistricting is vulnerable to gerrymandering, which is the manipulation of the redistricting process to draw district maps that don't represent the community. Sometimes gerrymandering is done to give an unfair advantage to one political party, group, candidate, or incumbent. Sometimes gerrymandering is done to reduce the voting power of people based on their race, ethnicity, culture, language, sexual orientation, economic status, interest group, or other factors. Gerrymandering puts political factors ahead of community interests.

 A fair map will reflect the diversity of our community. It will be the result of an open, transparent redistricting process with plenty of opportunities for people (like you) to give input. The redistricting process will have a specific timeline, clear steps, and accountability. A fair map will include substantially equal population in districts, geographic continuity, and protection from diluting the voting power of a racial or linguistic minority. A fair map will also preserve what are called communities of interest and will keep recognized neighborhoods intact. Learn more about the League of Women Voters positions on redistricting.

A community of interest is a group of people who live in a compact area and have something in common, who would benefit from being in the same district. They could have shared culture, history, languages, experiences, identity, housing, recreation options, transportation access, environmental concerns, or other bond that brings them together. You and others in your area can define your community of interest in your own way. Relationship with a political party, candidate, or incumbent cannot be considered a community of interest.

There is no definition of community of interest in the San Francisco Charter. The California Constitution defines a community of interest as "a contiguous population which shares common social and economic interests that should be included within a single district for purposes of its effective and fair representation."

A government body called the Redistricting Task Force leads the local redistricting process. The nine members were appointed by July 31, 2021, and the Redistricting Task Force's first meeting is on September 17, 2021.

The release of the 2020 Census data used for local redistricting has been significantly delayed. Rather than wait for the delayed Census data, the Board of Supervisors convened the 2021–2022 Redistricting Task Force before the city Charter requires. LWVSF strongly advocated for this early convening and supported the ordinance convening the Redistricting Task Force.

The Redistricting Task Force must present the new district map to the Board of Supervisors by April 15, 2022, and the new lines will be effective for the November 2022 election. The Board of Supervisors may not change the map. This and more is required by San Francisco Charter Section 13.110(d).

Get more key dates in the San Francisco local redistricting timeline.

The Redistricting Task Force works with government staff and outside consultants to determine how the supervisor district lines should be redrawn so the districts comply with various legal requirements. The Redistricting Task Force may make adjustments to district lines based on community input.

The Redistricting Task Force has nine members — meet the people on the 2021–2022 Redistricting Task Force.

The Elections Commission, the Board of Supervisors, and the Mayor each appointed three members. The ordinance convening the 2021–2022 Redistricting Task Force stated members are to be "broadly representative of the communities of interest, neighborhoods, and diversity in ethnicity, race, age, gender, and sexual orientation of the City and County of San Francisco," though that is not a requirement in the San Francisco Charter.

Check out our blog posts for more detailed information about how to participate in San Francisco supervisor redistricting > 

Public participation in the redistricting process is crucial. You can attend the Redistricting Task Force's meetings to share your feedback and better understand the effect redistricting has on your community. 

During these meetings, you can give public comment to share your ideas and feedback. You can speak up in support of a more fair, equitable, transparent, and accessible local redistricting process. There are specific meeting agenda items during which you can share your community of interest, and other agenda items for sharing your mapping feedback.

You can also help other people in your community understand what redistricting is and why it matters. Come to a LWVSF event, watch videos  of our previous events, volunteer, or email us to discuss having one of our knowledgeable volunteers talk to your community group about redistricting.  

The City and County of San Francisco Redistricting Task Force (2020 Census) website provides meeting agendas, mapping tools, training videos, meeting flyers, records of communications sent to the task force, and other information.

Advocacy letters

• Recommendations for SF Redistricting Task Force final report, May 6, 2022
• Concerns regarding Elections Commission’s Redistricting Task Force appointees, April 6, 2022
• Recommendations to the Redistricting Task Force re language accessibility (PDF), March 25, 2022
• Recommendations to the Redistricting Task Force re timeline, outreach, and other concerns (PDF), February 3, 2022
• Recommendations to the Redistricting Task Force re draft maps and timeline (PDF), January 21, 2022
• Recommendations to the Redistricting Task Force re mapping tools (PDF), November 8, 2021
• Recommendations for SF Redistricting Task Force next steps, September 16, 2021
• Support for the ordinance convening the 2011–2022 San Francisco Redistricting Task Force, June 4, 2021
• Recommendations for local redistricting amid Census delay, March 15, 2021

Positions

•  League of Women Voters positions on redistricting

LWVSF does not necessarily endorse the views expressed in these articles. They are provided for informational purposes only. A ⭐ indicates LWVSF is included in the article.

• ⭐ "U-turn on a U-turn: New map puts Tenderloin in District 5," Will Jarrett, Mission Local, April 5, 2022
• ⭐ "In reversal, SF task force removes Tenderloin, Mandelman from current supervisor districts," Matthew S. Bajko, Bay Area Reporter, April 5, 2022
• "SF Redistricting Task Force sneaks in 3a.m. vote to use draft map that divides communities," Sana Sethi, San Francisco Rising, San Francisco Bay View National Black Newspaper, April 5, 2022
• "In stunning late-night move, Redistricting Task Force switches to map community opposes," Tim Redmond, 48 Hills, April 5, 2022
• "Latest San Francisco electoral map maintains Tenderloin with SOMA in same supervisor district," Matthew S. Bajko, Bay Area Reporter, April 2, 2022
• "‘This is our Selma’: Hundreds in S.F. show up to fight redistricting plan," Michael Cabanatuan, San Francisco Chronicle, April 2, 2022
• "Protesters Warn San Francisco Redistricting Plan Could ‘Start Community Wars’" Shawn Chitnis, KPIX 5 CBS SF Bay Area, April 2, 2022
• "In U-turn, task force approves preliminary district map that keeps Tenderloin in District 6," Will Jarrett, Mission Local, April 1, 2022
• "Four new redistricting maps: Which would you choose?," Will Jarrett, Mission Local, April 1, 2022
• "Latinx, American Indian advocates want redistricting map to unify Valencia, keep Tenderloin in D6," Annika Hom, Mission Local, April 1, 2022
• "Political Power Grab? AAPI Communities Demand Answers in SF Redistricting," Han Li, The San Francisco Standard, April 1, 2022
• ⭐ "Opposition to new district lines just keeps growing," Tim Redmond, 48 Hills, March 31, 2022
• "'It Seeks to Diminish Us': San Francisco LGBTQ Groups Protest City's Redistricting Plans," KQED, March 31, 2022
• "Coalition says redistricting plan splinters LGBTQ cultural districts," Daniel Montes, Bay City News, March 31, 2022
• "More handwringing over proposed S.F. redistricting map with the Tenderloin and SoMa upset over possible split," J.D. Morris, San Francisco Chronicle, March 30, 2022
• "Latest Proposed SF Redistricting Map Still Drawing Ire of LGBTQ Activists," Joe Kukura, SFist, March 30, 2022
• "LGBTQ groups condemn SF redistricting process," John Ferrannini, KRON4, March 30, 2022
• "Opinion: Don’t break up the northeastern neighborhoods," Betty Louie, Chinatown Merchants Association, and Bob Harrer, Barbary Coast Neighborhood Association, San Francisco Examiner, March 30, 2022
• "Chinatown community pays attention to the newly released draft maps by SF Redistricting Task Force," Portia Li / 李秀蘭, Wind Newspaper, March 29, 2022
• "Preliminary plan moves Tenderloin into District 5," Will Jarrett and Lydia Chávez, Mission Local, March 29, 2022
• "New district lines would deeply hurt progressive politics in San Francisco," Tim Redmond, 48 Hills, March 28, 2022
• "SF supe would be cut out of district by new map," John Ferrannini, KRON4, March 28, 2022
• "Redistricting Goes Off the Rails," Doug Comstock, Westside Observer, March 27, 2022
• "Fate of SF LGBTQ districts up in the air under redistricting process," Matthew S. Bajko, Bay Area Reporter, March 25, 2022
• "The Redistricting Puzzle: Growing Pains for D7, D4 & D5," Doug Comstock, Westside Observer, March 27, 2022
• "Residents critical of SF district boundary proposal," Cynthia Laird, Bay Area Reporter, March 23, 2022
• "Redistricting Task Force Revises District 7, 11 Boundaries," Garrett Leahy, The Ingleside Light, March 16, 2022
• ⭐ "Redistricting Meetings Continue," LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District, March 21, 2021 
• "New District Map Would Break North Beach In Half," North Beach Neighbors blog, March 20, 2022
• "These 11 maps show exactly how San Francisco’s political boundaries could be redrawn," Nami Sumida, San Francisco Chronicle, March 17, 2022
• "Community Leaders React To Draft Redistricting Map," Garrett Leahy, The Ingleside Light, March 16, 2022
• "As redistricting begins, Citywide grassroots coalition releases 'Community Unity Map'," San Francisco Rising blog, March 15, 2022
• "Commentary: The Great Gentrification," Julie Pitta, Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon, March 15, 2022
• "SF redistricting: Whey the Tenderloin must join District 3," Randy Shaw, Beyond Chron, March 15, 2022
• ⭐ "New Proposed Board of Supervisors District Map Is Out, and Everyone Thinks It’s an Abomination," Joe Kukura, SFist, March 11, 2022
• "The new draft district supes maps: WTF?," Tim Redmond, 48 Hills, March 10, 2022
• "Early proposed map redrawing San Francisco supervisor districts sparks backlash: ‘Laughable’," J.D. Morris, San Francisco Chronicle, March 10, 2022
• "‘Crazy’ New Redistricting Map Outrages San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ Leaders," David Sjostedt, SF Standard, March 10, 2022
• "Why You Should Care About Redistricting," Tes Welborn, HANC Board, San Francisco Tenants Union blog, March 9, 2022
• "Commentary: Expanding Our Neighborhood," Sandra Lee Fewer, Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon, March 7, 2022
• "Reshaping San Francisco’s Districts for the Next Decade," Jack Quach, Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon, March 4, 2022
• "Battlelines Drawn in District 7 Redistricting," Doug Comstock, Westside Observer, March 2022
• "Residents Weigh In On Future District 7 Supervisorial Boundaries," Garrett Leahy, The Ingleside Light, February 24, 2022
• "The Final Two Months of Redistricting in SF," Harlan Crawford, San Francisco Rising blog, February 24, 2022
• ⭐ "Sketching the redistricting debate," Todd Berman, Mission Local, February 21, 2022
• "Residents Sound Off On Future District 11 Electoral Boundaries," Garrett Leahy, The Ingleside Light, February 9, 2022
• "Redistricting Can Shape City Hall Decisions for the Next 10 Years: Here’s How to Get Involved" (PDF), John Trasviña, The Noe Valley Voice, February 2022 (page 6)
• "We used an algorithm to create new S.F. supervisor boundaries. Here’s why the actual boundaries will be different," Nami Sumida, San Francisco Chronicle, January 12, 2022
• "Opinion: Why Redistricting Matters To You And Why We Need To Get It Right," Simon Timony, The Ingleside Light, January 12, 2022
• "Commentary: Redistricting," Kevin Frazier, Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon, January 8, 2022
• "Three Chinese Americans appointed to the 9-member task force redrawing SF supervisorial districts," Portia Li 李秀蘭, Wind Newspaper, January 4, 2022
• "For the sake of San Francisco," Daphne Alden et al, Marina Times, January 2022
• "Why You Should Care About Redistricting," Tes Welborn, HANC Board, San Francisco Tenants Union blog, December 15, 2021
• "New SF Electoral Boundaries Take Shape as Officials Wrestle With Equity Concerns," David Sjostedt, The San Francisco Standard, December 5, 2021
• ⭐ "Redistricting Could Change District 10 Boundaries," Rebekah Moan, The Potrero View, November 2021
• "Everything you Need to Know About the Loaded 2022 San Francisco Election Cycle," Zach Drucker, sf.citi, November 17, 2021
• "Redrawing San Francisco’s political map," Benjamin Schneider, San Francisco Examiner, November 5, 2021
• "Where is, and What is Redistricting?," San Francisco Rising blog, November 1, 2021
• ⭐"He walked 50 miles of San Francisco's district boundaries. The mission: redraw them," Heather Knight, San Francisco Chronicle, August 20, 2021
• "New Census data sets the stage for San Francisco’s redistricting," Annie Gaus, Here/Say Media, August 13, 2021
• "Out men will help redraw San Francisco's political map," Matthew S. Bajko, Bay Area Reporter, July 22, 2021
• "Supes panel appoints three community-based progressives to redistricting panel," Tim Redmond, 48 Hills, July 19, 2021
• "The future of the Board of Supes is on the line as redistricting moves forward," Tim Redmond, 48 Hills, July 16, 2021
• "SF is getting its supervisor districts redrawn next year," Joe Kukura, SFist, April 26, 2021
• ⭐ "San Francisco’s supervisorial districts will be redrawn: Interview with Alison Goh, President, League of Women Voters of San Francisco," Laura Wenus, San Francisco Public Press, April 21, 2021

There are local, state, and federal rules that govern redistricting in the City and County of San Francisco. California allows some exceptions to its redistricting rules for charter cities such as San Francisco. "Redistricting for Community Empowerment: A Legal How-To Guide" (PDF) by California Common Cause and ACLU is a rich resource on the rules of redistricting. These are some of the specific rules applicable in San Francisco redistricting: 

Local

• Legal Opinion Memorandum: Vacancy in the Office of District 6 Supervisor (PDF) by the San Francisco Office of the City Attorney to the Mayor and Board of Supervisors, April 21, 2022
• Legal Opinion Memorandum: Redistricting–Deadline and Process (PDF) by the San Francisco Office of the City Attorney to the Redistricting Task Force, April 19, 2022
• Legal Opinion Memorandum: Voting Rights Act Section 2 Analysis (PDF) by the San Francisco Office of the City Attorney to the Redistricting Task Force, March 14, 2022
• Legal Opinion Memorandum: Legal Requirements for Redistricting – 2021 (PDF) by the San Francisco Office of the City Attorney to the Redistricting Task Force, September 27, 2021
• Legal Opinion Memorandum: Duties and Obligations of the Redistricting Task Force (PDF) by the San Francisco Office of the City Attorney to the Redistricting Task Force, September 27, 2021
• Ordinance 094-21 (BOS File No. 21606) (PDF) convening the Redistricting Task Force and amending the Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code to require...Statements of Economic Interests (Form 700s), City and County of San Francisco, finally passed by the Board of Supervisors June 22, 2021, approved by Mayor London Breed July 2, 2021
• Ethics Laws That Apply to the City’s Redistricting Task Force, City and County of San Francisco Ethics Commission
• San Francisco Charter Section 13.110(d) regarding supervisorial redistricting
• Open government laws, including the Sunshine Ordinance
• San Francisco Administrative Code, Language Access Ordinance: Public Meetings and Hearings, Section 91.7

State

• California Elections Code § 21500–21509 and § 21620–21630 
• California Assembly Bill 849 (Bonta 2019), also known as the FAIR MAPS Act or the Fair and Inclusive Redistricting for Municipalities and Political Subdivisions Act
• California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (CVRA)
• Legal Opinion No. 22-501: Representation by county supervisors after redistricting (PDF), Office of the Attorney General, State of California, July 20, 2022

Federal

• Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), Section 2

• Supervisorial districts developed by the 2011–2012 San Francisco Redistricting Task Force, Princeton University Library (includes shapefile and other mapping formats)
• "Final Report of the 2011–2012 San Francisco Redistricting Task Force" (PDF), April 18, 2021
• Archive of the 2011–2012 San Francisco Redistricting Task Force (2010 Census)
• Archive of the 2001–2002 San Francisco Redistricting Task Force (2000 Census)