What is Your Voting Plan?

Candidate Forums

The League of Women Voters of San Francisco hosted virtual nonpartisan Candidate Forums for the Board of Supervisors contests in Districts 1,7 and 11. 

View the 2020 Candidate Forums videos here

Candidate Statements

In partnership with SFGovTV, the League of Women Voters of San Francisco produced video statements by candidates for San Francisco offices. All candidates for an office were offered the opportunity to make a video. 

In these 2 minute videos candidates present their qualifications and views on issues important to San Francisco voters. 

View the 2020 Candidate Statements videos here

Printing you own ballot

For the first time this year, from October 5 through 8:00 pm November 3, all San Francisco voters can use the remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail (AVBM) System to vote. (It was previously available only to limited groups of voters.)  

Here’s how to use, or continue to use, the System on your computer or tablet:  

1) When you receive your paper vote-by-mail ballot in the mail, be sure to keep the ballot and official envelope, as you may want to use them to submit your ballot.  If you lose or misplace them, options are described below in (5). 

2) Visit sfelections.org/access, and submit your house number, ZIP code and date of birth.  Then, you can read or listen to voting instructions, connect an assistive device, and/or adjust the font, contrast, and language settings, as desired. Mark the AVBM ballot on your computer or tablet.

3)  Review your ballot, make necessary corrections, and print your completed ballot.  If your computer is not connected to a printer, you may save your marked ballot as a PDF to print elsewhere. For example, you can save your marked ballot to a USB drive and print it later at a public library or a friend’s house.

4) If you want to submit your ballot using the official envelope (included with the ballot you received in the mail), place your printed AVBM ballot in the official envelope and then seal the envelope. You must sign the envelope.  Persons with a sight disability are provided specially punched holes to indicate where to sign. The envelope also provides instructions on how voters unable to sign may substitute a witnessed mark for a signature. There are 4 ways you, or an authorized person, can submit your official envelope with ballot:  

• In a drop box;
• At a Voting Center;
• At a polling place; or
• By mail to the Department of Elections (Contact Information below). You do not have to add postage if you are using the envelope provided to you.

If you do not have the official return envelope, you can request one by contacting the Department of Elections (Contact Information below). Also, from October 30 to November 3, when it is too late to mail a replacement envelope, you can request the envelope at a voting center.

If you do not have the official envelope, you can submit your ballot by using 2 plain envelopes: 

a) Place the ballot you printed into a plain envelope, then seal the envelope.

b) Write “Official Ballot – To Be Opened Only by the San Francisco Department of Elections” on the front of the envelope.

c) Enclose a Ballot Return Form PDF (sfelections.sfgov.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Voting/2020/N20_Ballot_Return_Form.pdf),

d) There are 4 ways you, or an authorized person, can return your plain envelopes and ballot:

• In a drop box;
• At a Voting Center;
• At a polling place; or
• By mail to the Department of Elections (Contact Information below). You must place an appropriate amount of postage on the outer envelope. 

Contact Information for AVBM questions or technical support:

Email: SFVote@sfgov.org
Phone: (415) 554-4375; (866) 325-9163 (toll free)
Fax: (415) 554-7344
TTY: (415) 554-4386

中文: (415) 554-4367
Español: (415) 554-4366
Filipino: (415) 554-4310

Mail or visit: 

Department of Elections

1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
City Hall, Room 48
San Francisco, CA 94102 

Hours:  Monday-Friday  8:00 am-5:00 pm

Individuals with disabilities may also contact Disability Rights California’s Voting Hotline for further information: (888) 569-7955; TTY (800) 719-5798.

Military and Overseas Voters can choose to receive a ballot via email, fax, or postal mail.  By law, the Elections Department may begin sending ballots to military and overseas voters via their selected method of delivery 60 days before the election and must complete such deliveries no later than 45 days before the election. If you register as a Military or Overseas Voter after this time period, the Department has 3 to 5 days to process your request and send your ballot.

You can use the Voter Portal at sfelections.sfgov.org/military-and-overseas-voting to check the ballot delivery method in your registration record, and to track your ballot as it moves through the process.

Accessible Vote-by-Mail System Military and Overseas voters may access a ballot by computer or tablet, using the remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail (AVBM) system. The AVBM system will be open to Military and Overseas voters beginning 60 to 45 days before Election Day, and remain open through 8 p.m. on Election Day.  Here are the steps:

1) Visit sfelections.org/access, and login with the house number of your San Francisco residence, zip code and date of birth.  Then, mark the AVBM ballot on your computer or tablet.

2)  Review your ballot, make necessary corrections, and print your completed ballot.  If your computer is not connected to a printer, you may save your marked ballot as a PDF to print elsewhere.  For example, you can save your marked ballot to a USB drive and print it later at a publicly available site.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program also provides a  Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (PDF) (FWAB) to serve as a backup ballot. You may use FWAB if there isn’t enough time to receive and send back your ballot before the election.
You can return your ballot by mail, or in person to any voting center or polling place. You may also authorize another person to drop off your ballot for you. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked before or on Election Day, November 3. Ballots returned in person must be dropped off no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 3.

If you mail your ballot using the official ballot return envelope (enclosed with the vote-by-mail packet) you received in the mail:

1) Place your ballot cards or ballot printout from the AVBM system into your official ballot return envelope.

2) Seal and sign the return envelope. You must sign the envelope. 

3) Apply the postage required by your location only if mailing outside the United States. 

If you mail your ballot but do not have the official ballot return envelope, you can use 2 plain envelopes:

1) Place your ballot cards or ballot printout from the AVBM system into a plain envelope, then seal the envelope.

2) Write “Official Ballot – To Be Opened Only by the San Francisco Department of Elections” on the front of the envelope.

3) Enclose a Ballot Return Form (PDF), along with your ballot envelope, in a 2nd envelope.4) To return your ballot by mail, apply the postage required by your location on the outer envelope, and mail it to:                     

Department of Elections

1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place City Hall, Room 48 

San Francisco, CA 94102  

You may also return your ballot by fax, if you are living outside the territorial limits of the United States, or have been called for military service within the United States after October 26.  To be counted, your faxed ballot must be received by the Department of Elections no later than 8 p.m. PT on Election Day, November 3. Voters may not return faxed ballots by email.

To return your ballot by fax, you must send the following two items, arranged in this order, in a single fax transmission to (415)-554-4372:

1) Completed and signed "Voter Oath for Fax Ballot Return" (PDF), with a signature that must compare to the signature on your voter registration record. If your signature changed, submit a new Federal Post Card application in advance. If you are unable to sign, make your “mark” and have a witness sign next to it.

2) Your ballot printout from the Accessible Vote-by-Mail System or, if you marked your ballot by hand, all sides of your ballot cards, in a faxable size (8.5 x 11 inches or similar). You may photocopy your ballot to reduce the size.

Contact Information for AVBM questions or technical support:Email: SFVote@sfgov.orgPhone: 

(415) 554-4375; (866) 325-9163 (toll free) 

Fax: (415) 554-7344 TTY: (415) 554-4386

中文: (415) 554-4367 Español: (415) 554-4366 

Filipino: (415) 554-4310

Mail or visit: 

Department of Elections1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place City Hall, Room 48 

San Francisco, CA 94102 

Hours:  Monday-Friday 8:00 am-5:00 pm

For more information, visit the Accessible Vote-by-Mail System page at sfelections.sfgov.org/vote-using-accessible-vote-mail-system