Steps for Marking All Types of Contests
- Before you mark any contest, review the instructions printed on each ballot card.
- To ensure your selections will be readable, use a pen with black or blue ink.
- Fill in the oval(s) to the right of your choice(s) to make your selections.
- If you do not want to vote on a certain contest or measure, leave it blank. Your other votes will still count.
- To vote for a qualified write-in candidate*, write the candidate’s name in the space below the candidate list and fill in the oval.
Steps for Marking Ranked-Choice Voting Contests
In ranked-choice voting contests, candidates appear in the left column of a grid and numbered rankings appear in the top row.
- To rank candidates in order of your preference, fill in the ovals from left to right, as shown in picture 1.
- Mark the first column for your first-choice candidate.
- Mark the second column for your second-choice candidate.
- Mark the third column for your third-choice candidate, and so on.
- You can rank as few or as many candidates as you like, up to 10.
- You can leave columns blank if you do not want to rank certain candidates or there are fewer than three candidates for an office.
- Do not fill in more than one oval per column, as shown in picture 2. If you give the same ranking to multiple candidates, your vote will not count.
- Do not rank the same candidate multiple times, as shown in picture 3. Only your first ranking for that candidate will count.
- To vote for a qualified write-in candidate*, write the name in the space below the candidate list, and fill in the oval for the rank.
*A qualified write-in candidate is a person who has submitted the required documentation to run for office after the ballots were printed. A list of qualified write-in candidates will be available at sfelections.gov/writein and the City Hall Voting Center starting October 25 as well as all polling places on Election Day, November 5.