Scott Wiener Leads Connie Chan as SF Backs Lurie Charter Reforms

SAN FRANCISCO — Moderate and pro-housing coalitions posted sweeping gains across San Francisco in Tuesday’s 2026 midterm election returns on November 3, as State Sen. Scott Wiener built a 55.4% to 44.6% lead over District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan to succeed Rep. Nancy Pelosi in Congressional District 11, Theo Ellington won the District 10 Board of Supervisors seat, Mayor Daniel Lurie’s Propositions D, E, and F charter reform slate led comfortably, and School Board President Phil Kim won re-election—even as the city prepared its first-ever 94-unit affordable housing lottery for artists at 1687 Market.

Scott Wiener Leads Connie Chan 55.4% to 44.6% After Knocking on 311,000 Doors

As reported by The San Francisco Standard, Scott Wiener held a 55.4% to 44.6% lead over Connie Chan with 35% of the vote counted, meaning Chan would need roughly 57% of remaining ballots if turnout matches November 2022. Celebrating at Swedish American Hall with local Democratic Party official Joe Sangirardi and west-side field director Olivia Reynolds, Wiener captured roughly 60% in the Haight Ashbury, 58% in Hayes Valley and Alamo Square, 52% in Bernal Heights, and 51% in Chan’s own District 1 (Richmond District), while holding Chan to 51% in the Mission and sweeping South of Market precincts targeted by Saikat Chakrabarti’s SF Solidarity PAC. Wiener and allied super PACs spent $15.5 million—deploying 48 paid full-time canvassers to knock on more than 311,000 doors from a second office on California Street—compared with $4.6 million for Chan and her supporters, who gathered with Chinese Community Development Center executive director Malcolm Yeung at Gray Area on Mission Street.

Earlier Tuesday night, as reported by The San Francisco Standard, Wiener’s campaign briefly barred Mission Local (led by managing editor Joe Eskenazi and executive editor Joe Rivano Barros) and The Gazetteer (edited by Matt Haber) from his watch party over coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict and a Federal Election Commission complaint, drawing condemnation from NorCal Society of Professional Journalists freedom of information chair Tom Peele and Chan spokesperson Ian Krager before both outlets were admitted.

Theo Ellington Wins District 10 as Mayor Daniel Lurie’s Propositions D, E, and F Lead

In District 10 (spanning Potrero Hill, Dogpatch, Bayview, Sunnydale, and Visitacion Valley to succeed termed-out Supervisor Shamann Walton), The San Francisco Standard reported that Theo Ellington won the 10-candidate race after ranked-choice tabulation with 6,385 votes (5,092 first-choice votes) over Young Community Developers CEO Dionjay (DJ) Brookter (3,163 ranked-choice; 1,625 first-choice), attorney J.R. Eppler (1,363 first-choice), Jessica Pessecow (752), and Mike Trouble Lin (534). Celebrating with more than 100 supporters at Mission Rock Resort (where the DJ played Montell Jordan’s 1995 hit This Is How We Do It over an 18-month campaign), Ellington was endorsed by Mayor Daniel Lurie, Supervisors Matt Dorsey and Stephen Sherrill, and Grow SF ($180,000 spent), raising about $495,000 under the city’s $500 individual cap (including Garry Tan and Michel Krieger) alongside $500,000 plus $40,000 ($540,000 total) donated to a supporting PAC by Chris Larsen.

Citywide, The San Francisco Standard reported that Mayor Daniel Lurie’s "Clean Up City Hall" charter slate—backed by $13.5 million from 54 donors—led across all 3 measures:

• Proposition D (59.8% Yes — 87,684 to 58,951; 40.2% No): Raises the Board of Supervisors referral threshold from 4 to 6 supervisors and increases citizen initiative signature requirements from 2% to 8% of registered voters (10% for special elections and charter amendments), which opponents (who raised slightly more than $200,000) estimated would raise signature-gathering costs at $10 per signature from $200,000 to $800,000.
• Proposition E (68.6% Yes — 99,749 to 45,553; 31.4% No): Expands the city administrator’s authority to streamline city contracting.
• Proposition F (64.6% Yes — 94,121 to 51,543; 35.4% No): Expands mayoral authority to hire and fire department heads, remove commissioners, and appoint deputy mayors.

Across election night watch parties covered by KALW 91.7, reporter Julia Haney at Anina in Hayes Valley (KALW 91.7) noted Lurie supporters celebrating Propositions D, E, F, and H ($13 million+ raised), Rosie Bultman at The Chapel in the Mission (KALW 91.7) described neighborhood crowds cheering national results and Sunset Dunes Park, and Nicholas David at El Rio (KALW 91.7) reported about 100 progressives backing Jane Kim, Proposition B, and Proposition I while cheering James Talarico’s Texas victory.

Phil Kim Reelected to SF School Board as 1687 Market Preps 94-Unit Artist Housing Lottery

In the San Francisco Board of Education race for 3 (three) 4-year seats reported by The San Francisco Standard and KALW 91.7, Board President Phil Kim (appointed in 2024 by London Breed and winner of a June special election against Virginia Cheung) won re-election while Autumn Brown Garibay (celebrating at Standard Deviant Brewing Company with SF Parents leaders Rebecca Kee / Rebecca Key and Meredith Dodson) and Tim Tung (endorsed by the San Francisco Democratic Party, chaired by his sister Nancy Tung) led for the other 2 seats, with incumbent Alida Fisher (Aleta Fisher, elected in 2022) in 7th place as Lisa Weissman-Ward stepped down and United Educators of San Francisco backed Raina Tello, Virginia Chung, and Ryan Hazleton. Commissioners oversee a district of 49,000 students with 14,000 empty seats under Superintendent Maria Su after voting 5-2 last month to replace the school assignment lottery—scheduled for final approval April 13, applications in 2027-28, and launch in August 2028.

Meanwhile, The San Francisco Standard reported that Mercy Housing California (led by President Tiffany Bohee) and SFJazz founder Randall Kline’s Artists Hub on Market (AHOM)—funded by a $100 million private donation in 2024—are preparing a lottery for a 15-story, 94-unit affordable artist apartment tower opening in 2028 at 1687 Market (at Gough and Market, former site of McRoskey Mattress Co., which sold in 2018) as city rents rose about 20% this year. Under legislation by Board President Rafael Mandelman, applicants must show $10,000 or more in creative earnings in 3 of the last 5 years, a grant in the last 3 years, or portfolio approval by the San Francisco Arts Commission (advised by 15+ arts groups and Entertainment Community Fund western director Keith McNutt, whose Hollywood project screened 9,000 applicants and 5,700 self-identified artists for 151 units). Arts Commission communications director Coma Te hopes 10,000 early interest forms yield 1,000 qualified applicants for rents ranging from $962 a month for a studio ($46,440 income for a family of 2) to $3,394 for a 2-bedroom ($167,120 for a family of 5), with 40% neighborhood preference, 20% displaced-tenant preference, and a 99-seat black box theater.