Hello Friend,

Earlier this month, the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court issued a last minute ruling that forced Wisconsin voters to turn out in-person for their primary election. This move was not only a disgrace to our democracy but also risked the health of thousands of voters and polling station workers who were given a false choice of either showing up to crowded polling stations across the state during the current COVID-19 pandemic or be denied the right to vote. While there weren't lines of voters in the state capitol of Madison, what made the Wisconsin election so dangerous was that the number of polling places in Milwaukee—the state's biggest city and the location of a COVID outbreak—had been reduced from their normal 180 to five. This is utterly unacceptable.

As we look ahead to the November election, we must remain vigilant with social distancing and promote healthy practices while ensuring our right to vote is protected here in San Francisco and beyond. Voting by mail will ensure that this right is protected during these uncertain times. We cannot allow what happened in Milwaukee to occur anywhere else. 

We need to move towards universal vote-by-mail—modeled after the systems already in place in states like Oregon, Colorado, Hawaii, Utah and Washington—in San Francisco, California and throughout the entire nation. And given the COVID-19 pandemic, it is even more crucial to implement universal vote-by-mail. 

Sign on to Senator Scott Wiener's petition for safe, secure, and universal vote-by-mail options for every voter>>

In the meantime, any registered voter in San Francisco can vote-by-mail. The San Francisco Department of Elections accepts applications to vote-by-mail up to seven days before an election. The deadline to register to vote is October 19, 2020. You can apply to vote-by-mail using the following resources:

• Use the Department's online Voter Portal
• Complete and submit a paper vote-by-mail application to the Department by mail, by fax to (415) 554-4372, or as a scanned email attachment to [email protected]. You may download the vote by mail application (PDF) online or compete the application on the back of your Voter Information Pamphlet, mailed approximately 30 days before an election

If you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to reach out to me directly at (415) 404-9968. 

Voting is a fundamental right and I am fully committed to protecting our healthy democracy.

Sincerely, 

Ahsha

Paid for by Ahsha Safaí for Supervisor 2020 • FPPC #1378961
Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org.