David Lee, an educator and the 20-year executive director of the Chinese American Voters Education Committee who unsuccessfully ran against then-Supervisor Catherine Stefani for State Assembly from District 19 in 2024, is among those who have tossed their hat into the ring to represent the Outer Sunset as District 4 supervisor.
At his swearing-in ceremony on Dec. 1, newly appointed San Francisco District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong said he will wait to hear from community stakeholders before committing to a policy decision on the future of the Upper Great Highway.
Westside voters may soon determine the composition of the United States House of Representatives – or, at least, one 435th of it.
At least one Sunset resident is not waiting for Mayor Daniel Lurie to select a replacement for recalled District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio.
West Portal high schooler Katelyn Lee is working on making local politics, news and events accessible to San Francisco’s youth via a new website. The District 7 resident is the founder of PoliLink, a website dedicated to gathering important news related to San Francisco politics.
Saikat (pronounced Shoy-kaht) Chakrabarti, the 39-year-old, former Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders staffer, is housing his congressional campaign efforts on the west side, which he describes as a microcosm of San Francisco, and of the nation.
On Sept. 16, District 4 voters in the Sunset District decided they wanted to change who represents them at City Hall. With about a year left in his term, Supervisor Joel Engardio was recalled in a citizens’ revolt primarily over his support of the closure of the Upper Great Highway to vehicle traffic and the creation of the new Sunset Dunes park on the site.
Before becoming the first person to oust a previously elected city supervisor in the generation since district elections were introduced in San Francisco, Engardio unsuccessfully ran for the board three times.
District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio became in 2022 the first person to oust a previously elected city supervisor since district elections to the board were reintroduced a generation ago. At a meeting last year, he was at SF Hole in the Wall Pizza on Irving Street near 19th Avenue defending his role in putting the closure of the Upper Great Highway on the November 2024 citywide ballot as Proposition K.
On May 22, a group of more than 80 Sunset District residents, joined by friends from the Richmond District and beyond, rallied on the front steps of City Hall before turning in 10,985 signatures to recall their district supervisor, Joel Engardio. Eighty-five percent of those signatures were gathered by volunteers, unpaid local residents who for four months disrupted their lives, learned how to canvass and went out day after day after day knocking on doors to gather signatures.
Proposition K, a measure which closed San Francisco’s Upper Great Highway (UGH), has divided residents and sparked ongoing controversy among westside residents.
Each election cycle, many non-native English speakers and first-time voters face uncertainty and anxiety at the polls. Data by NewAmerica.org found that many individuals “have a built-in fear around civic participation … that comes from a collective traumatic experience” of navigating critical documents, such as immigration forms, where even small mistakes can have serious consequences.
Connie Chan is celebrating her election victory, earning a second term as District 1 supervisor. Chan, an incumbent, ultimately edged out Marjan Philhour in a tight race that required three rounds of ballot counting.
Color-coded maps showing the distribution of voters on key election issues, November 2022. Maps by Chris Arvin.
The Sunset Beacon invited the two candidates for District 4 supervisor to share their views with the community.
Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon 