The 2008 San Francisco Board of Supervisors elections occurred on November 4, 2008. Seven of the eleven seats of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors were contested in this election. Four incumbents were termed out of office, while three ran for reelection.
2008 San Francisco Board of Supervisors election
Municipal elections in California are officially non-partisan, though most candidates in San Francisco do receive funding and support from various political parties. The election was held using ranked-choice voting .
This district consists of the Richmond District . Incumbent supervisor Jake McGoldrick was termed out of office.
District 1 supervisorial election, 2008[ 1] [ 2]
Candidate
Votes
%
Eric Mar
11,625
40.52
Sue Lee
9,733
33.93
Alicia Wang
4,206
14.66
Brian Larkin
995
3.47
Jason Jungreis
610
2.13
Nicholas Belloni
536
1.87
Fidel Gakuba
361
1.26
George Flamik
324
1.13
Sherman D'Silva
254
0.89
Write-in
42
0.15
Valid votes
29,643
90.79%
Invalid or blank votes
3,008
9.21%
Total votes
32,651
100.00
Voter turnout
80.76%
Ranked choice voting — Pass 1
Eric Mar
11,649
40.51
Sue Lee
9,753
33.92
Alicia Wang (eliminated)
4,218
14.67
Brian Larkin (eliminated)
998
3.47
Jason Jungreis (eliminated)
614
2.14
Nicholas Belloni (eliminated)
537
1.87
Fidel Gakuba (eliminated)
363
1.26
George Flamik (eliminated)
325
1.13
Sherman D'Silva (eliminated)
257
0.89
Write-in (eliminated)42
0.15
Eligible votes
28,756
90.73%
Exhausted votes
2,938
9.27%
Total votes
31,694
100.00
Ranked choice voting — Pass 2
Eric Mar
13,152
50.67
Sue Lee
12,805
49.33
Eligible votes
25,957
81,90%
Exhausted votes
5,737
18.10%
Total votes
31,694
100.00
District 3 consists of the northeastern corner of San Francisco, including Chinatown , the Financial District , Fisherman's Wharf , Nob Hill , North Beach , and Telegraph Hill . Incumbent supervisor Aaron Peskin was termed out of office.
District 3 supervisorial election, 2008[ 1] [ 3]
Candidate
Votes
%
David Chiu
10,209
37.72
Joseph Alioto, Jr.
6,268
23.16
Denise McCarthy
3,165
11.69
Claudine Cheng
2,492
9.21
Mike DeNunzio
1,330
4.91
Lynn Jefferson
1,234
4.56
Tony Gantner
1,191
4.40
Wilma Pang
939
3.47
Mark Quessey
204
0.75
Write-in
35
0.13
Valid votes
28,276
90.33%
Invalid or blank votes
3,028
9.67%
Total votes
31,304
100.00
Voter turnout
80.44%
Ranked choice voting — Pass 7
David Chiu
13,582
59.37
Joseph Alioto, Jr.
9,293
40.63
Eligible votes
22,875
76.03%
Exhausted votes
7,211
23.97%
Total votes
30,086
100.00
Ranked-choice vote distribution
edit
Candidate
Pass 1
Pass 2
Pass 3
Pass 4
Pass 5
Pass 6
Pass 7
David Chiu 10,270 10,512 10,800 10,919 11,146 12,348 13,582
Joseph Alioto, Jr.
6,285
6,400
6,655
7,113
7,423
8,175
9,293
Denise McCarthy
3,172
3,341
3,572
3,715
4,227
4,633
Claudine Cheng
2,515
2,779
2,886
3,027
3,223
Lynn Jefferson
1,235
1,365
1,471
1,650
Mike DeNunzio
1,335
1,386
1,466
Tony Gantner
1,195
1,235
Wilma Pang
952
Mark Quessey
204
Write-in 35
Eligible ballots 27,198
27,018
26,850
26,424
26,019
25,156
22,875
Exhausted ballots 2,888
3,068
3,236
3,662
4,067
4,930
7,211
Total
30,086
30,086
30,086
30,086
30,086
30,086
30,086
District 4 consists primarily of the Sunset district . Incumbent supervisor Carmen Chu was seeking her first election after being appointed by Mayor Gavin Newsom in the wake of Ed Jew 's suspension and resignation.
District 4 supervisorial special election, 2008[ 1] [ 4]
Candidate
Votes
%
Carmen Chu (incumbent )
15,353
52.37
Ron Dudum
10,304
35.15
David Ferguson
3,606
12.30
Write-in
53
0.18
Valid votes
30,060
92.86%
Invalid or blank votes
2,312
7.14%
Total votes
32,372
100.00
Voter turnout
79.14%
Ranked choice voting — Pass 1
Carmen Chu (incumbent )
15,405
52.33
Ron Dudum
10,346
35.14
David Ferguson
3,635
12.35
Write-in
53
0.18
Eligible votes
29,439
93.08%
Exhausted votes
2,189
6.92%
Total votes
31,628
100.00
District 5 consists of the Fillmore , Haight-Ashbury , Hayes Valley , Japantown , UCSF , and the Western Addition . Incumbent supervisor Ross Mirkarimi was seeking reelection.
District 5 supervisorial election, 2008[ 1]
Candidate
Votes
%
Ross Mirkarimi (incumbent )
27,482
77.39
Owen P. O'Connell
5,962
16.79
Rob Anderson
1,982
5.58
Write-in
87
0.24
Valid votes
37,408
86.85%
Invalid or blank votes
5,662
13.15%
Total votes
43,070
100.00
Voter turnout
83.33%
District 7 consists of City College , Forest Hill , Lake Merced , Mount Davidson , Parkmerced , San Francisco State University , St. Francis Wood , and Twin Peaks . Incumbent supervisor Sean Elsbernd was seeking reelection.
District 7 supervisorial election, 2008[ 1]
Candidate
Votes
%
Sean Elsbernd (incumbent )
22,019
71.06
Julian Lagos
5,792
18.69
Billy Bob Whitmer
2,964
9.57
Write-in
211
0.68
Valid votes
32,420
85.09%
Invalid or blank votes
5,683
14.91%
Total votes
38,103
100.00
Voter turnout
84.04%
District 9 consists of Bernal Heights , the Inner Mission , and part of the Portola . Incumbent supervisor Tom Ammiano was termed out of office.
District 9 supervisorial election, 2008[ 1] [ 5]
Candidate
Votes
%
David Campos
9,440
35.78
Mark Sanchez
7,616
28.86
Eric Quezada
5,337
20.23
Eva Royale
1,830
6.94
Thomas Valtin
857
3.25
Eric Storey
802
3.04
Vern Mathews
466
1.77
Write-in
39
0.15
Valid votes
27,183
91.59%
Invalid or blank votes
2,497
8.41%
Total votes
29,680
100.00
Voter turnout
81.46%
Ranked choice voting — Pass 3
David Campos
12,637
53.83
Mark Sanchez
10,837
46.17
Eligible votes
23,474
81.27%
Exhausted votes
5,410
18.73%
Total votes
28,884
100.00
Ranked-choice vote distribution
edit
Candidate
Pass 1
Pass 2
Pass 3
David Campos 9,468 10,387 12,637
Mark Sanchez 7,648
8,623
10,837
Eric Quezada
5,352
5,964
Eva Royale
1,842
Thomas Valtin
862
Eric Storey
806
Vern Mathews
469
Write-in 39
Eligible ballots 26,486
24,974
23,474
Exhausted ballots 2,398
3,910
5,410
Total
28,884
28,884
28,884
District 11 consists of the Excelsior , Ingleside , Oceanview , and the Outer Mission . Incumbent supervisor Gerardo Sandoval was termed out of office.
District 11 supervisorial election, 2008[ 1] [ 6]
Candidate
Votes
%
John Avalos
6,918
28.19
Ahsha Safaí
5,941
24.21
Myrna Lim
4,442
18.10
Julio Ramos
3,626
14.78
Randall Knox
2,324
9.47
Mary Goodnature
455
1.85
Adrian Bermudez
410
1.67
Eli Horn
391
1.59
Write-in
24
0.10
A. Jackson Matteson
6
0.02
Valid votes
25,126
91.37%
Invalid or blank votes
2,372
8.63%
Total votes
27,498
100.00
Voter turnout
76.21%
Ranked choice voting — Pass 4
John Avalos
10,225
52.93
Ahsha Safaí
9,092
47.07
Eligible votes
19,317
71.79%
Exhausted votes
7,592
28.21%
Total votes
26,909
100.00
Ranked-choice vote distribution
edit
Candidate
Pass 1
Pass 2
Pass 3
Pass 4
John Avalos 6,964 7,625 8,887 10,225
Ahsha Safaí 5,941
5,965
6,727
7,611
Myrna Lim
4,462
5,053
5,929
Julio Ramos
3,646
4,321
Randall Knox
2,337
Mary Goodnature
459
Adrian Bermudez
415
Eli Horn
394
Write-in 30
A. Jackson Matteson
1
Eligible ballots 24,673
23,726
22,427
19,317
Exhausted ballots 2,236
3,183
4,482
7,592
Total
26,909
26,909
26,909
26,909
^ a b c d e f g "November 4, 2008 General Election Statement of Vote" (PDF) . San Francisco Department of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 8, 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2010 .^ "District 1 – Ranked-choice voting" . San Francisco Department of Elections. December 2, 2008. Archived from the original on April 8, 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2010 .^ "District 3 – Ranked-choice voting" . San Francisco Department of Elections. December 2, 2008. Archived from the original on April 8, 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2010 .^ "District 4 – Ranked-choice voting" . San Francisco Department of Elections. December 2, 2008. Archived from the original on April 8, 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2010 .^ "District 9 – Ranked-choice voting" . San Francisco Department of Elections. December 2, 2008. Archived from the original on April 8, 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2010 .^
"District 11 – Ranked-choice voting" . San Francisco Department of Elections. December 2, 2008. Archived from the original on April 8, 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2010 .
