Voting Options

As a San Francisco voter, you can vote in the upcoming election by mail or in person at the City Hall Voting Center or at a polling place.

Vote and Return your Vote-by-Mail Ballot

Around August 16, 2021, the Department of Elections will begin sending vote-by-mail (VBM) packets, each containing an official ballot, instructions, an “I voted” sticker, and a postage-paid return envelope, to all locally registered voters. On August 16, the Department will also open its accessible vote-by-mail (AVBM) system, with screen readable ballots compatible with personal assistive devices, at sfelections.org/access. For this election, the AVBM system will be open to all voters.

Whether you use a VBM ballot that has arrived in the mail or the AVBM system, you must be sure to complete and sign the return envelope and return your ballot on time, using one of the options shown on the chart below.

	Four Options for Returning your VBM Ballot
1. By mail	Mail your ballot in the postage-paid return envelope enclosed with your VBM packet. To be counted, ballots must be postmarked on or before September 14. If you plan to mail your ballot on Election Day, check mail pickup times to ensure that the last pickup has not already occurred.
2. In person to a ballot drop-off station*	Bring your ballot to any of San Francisco’s official ballot drop-off stations. Ballot drop-off stations will have red ballot boxes bearing the official seal of the City and County of San Francisco and will be staffed by Department of Elections personnel wearing red vests. For security, voted ballots from local ballot drop-off stations will be collected on a daily basis. San Francisco’s official ballot drop-off stations will be open as follows: City Hall Monday–Friday, August 16–September 13, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. (except Labor Day, September 6) Saturday and Sunday, September 4–5 and September 11–12, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Election Day, Tuesday, September 14, 7 a.m.–8 p.m. Richmond Branch Library, 351 9th Avenue Golden Gate Valley Branch Library, 1801 Green Street City College - Chinatown Campus, 808 Kearny Street Ortega Branch Library, 3223 Ortega Street Park Branch Library, 1833 Page Street Chase Center, 3rd Street at Warriors Way Merced Branch Library, 155 Winston Drive Noe Valley Branch Library, 451 Jersey Street City College - Mission Campus, 1125 Valencia Street Bayview Branch Library, 5075 3rd Street Excelsior Branch Library, 4400 Mission Street Saturday and Sunday, September 11–12, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday, September 13, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Election Day, Tuesday, September 14, 7 a.m.–8 p.m.
3. In person to a polling place*	Bring your ballot to any of San Francisco’s 588 polling places. Voting sites will be open on Election Day, September 14, from 7 a.m.–8 p.m. for in-person voting and ballot drop-off. To find a convenient location to drop off your ballot, visit sfelections.org/MyVotingLocation.
4. Authorize someone else to return your ballot	Complete the Ballot Return Authorization section on the back of your return envelope if somebody else will be returning your ballot.

*You may also return your ballot to any official ballot drop-off station or polling place in California by 8 p.m. on Election Day, September 14 — local ballots returned in other counties will be forwarded to San Francisco.

Vote at City Hall Between August 16 and Election Day

For the upcoming election, the City Hall Voting Center will be open to all local voters who wish to register to vote or vote in person, use accessible voting equipment, receive personal assistance, or return their vote-by-mail ballots:

• Every weekday (except Labor Day, September 6), from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• The last two weekends (September 4–5 and September 11–12), from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• On Election Day, Tuesday, September 14, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Vote at your Assigned Polling Place on Election Day

Between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day, September 14, 588 polling places will be open to local voters who wish to register to vote or vote in person, use accessible voting equipment, receive personal assistance, or drop off vote-by-mail ballots.

The address of your assigned polling place along with accessibility information about the facility, including the slope at the entrance are printed on the back cover of this pamphlet. If your assigned polling place changes, the Department of Elections will attempt to notify you via a postcard and a sign posted at your old polling place location. Prior to voting on Election Day, you may visit sfelections.org/MyVotingLocation to confirm your polling place address.