San Francisco Mayoral Race

When San Francisco voters go to the polls in November to select a new mayor they will face a first -- ranked choice voting. The new voting system and the crowded field of 11 viable candidates makes it a complicated race for The City's top office. Click on a candidate below to read their bio and their answers to a San Francisco Examiner questionnaires about key topics. Scroll down for video of candidates' campaingn statements and the latest news articles from the race.

Jeff Adachi

Current job: Public
defender

Platform: City’s fiscal
crisis requires aggressive
action

David Chiu

Current job: Board of
Supervisors president

Platform: Long-term policy
changes for a challenging
future

Dennis Herrera

Current job: City attorney
of San Francisco

Platform: Putting corruption
in check, within and outside
The City

Phil Ting

Current job: San Francisco
Assessor-recorder

Platform: Engaging citizens
to solve complex infrastructure
problems

Michela Alioto-Pier

Current job: Mayoral
candidate

Platform: City should be a leader in biotech and emerging green economy

Bevan Dufty

Current job: Mayoral
candidate

Platform: Addressing
social issues at local
level

Ed Lee

Current job: Interim mayor
of San Francisco

Platform: Job creation,
City Hall
cooperation

Leland Yee

Current job: California
state senator

Platform: Increase
transparency and
independence at City Hall

John Avalos

Current job: District 11 supervisor

Platform: Affordable housing, environmentalism,
small business

Tony Hall

Current job: Mayoral
candidate

Platform: City needs
stronger pension reform than
currently proposed

Joanna Rees

Current job: Venture
capitalist

Platform: City Hall needs
an outsider with business
experience

SF mayoral race news

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee climbing out of campaign debt pit

By: Dan Schreiber 02/01/12 5:00 AM

Mayor Ed Lee, left, has attended about 10 post-election fundraisers aimed at repaying $300,000. Read More

After coasting to victory in the mayoral race, Ed Lee now faces a new challenge: paying for it.The mayor must move quickly to cover nearly $300,000 in campaign debt, according to finance filings released Tuesday by The City’s Ethics Commission. The mayor has attended about 10 fundraisers on his behalf since the Nov. 8 election win, according to his campaign manager, Bill Barnes. Read More

From mustaches to Wookiees: Lighter side of SF mayor's race

By: Dan Schreiber 11/13/11 5:00 AM

Mud was slung freely, along with accusations of voter fraud and campaign money laundering. Read More

Paying for pols to play: 'Zombie candidates' created due to public financing

By: Joshua Sabatini 11/09/11 9:14 PM

Phil Ting received $279,668 in taxpayer-funded financing for his mayoral candidacy, but as of Wednesday he only received 806 votes. Read More

Ed Lee wins San Francisco mayoral race

By: Dan Schreiber 11/09/11 5:11 PM

Ed Lee became The City’s first elected Chinese-American mayor Wednesday. Read More

Ed Lee takes commanding lead in San Francisco mayoral race

By: Dan Schreiber 11/09/11 12:32 AM

Ed Lee all but declared victory after early counting in the mayoral race Tuesday night, when he was enjoying a comfortable lead over his closest co Read More

Chiu campaign HQ looted in bold pre-election heist

By: Mike Aldax 11/08/11 5:00 AM

Was it the work of opportunist crooks or political saboteurs? Read More

San Francisco elections to be monitored by state

By: Amy Crawford 11/07/11 4:46 PM

In response to allegations of electioneering impropriety, California Secretary of State Debra Bowen will send observers to monitor San Francisco’ Read More

Contract contributions to San Francisco mayoral candidates are illegal on paper

By: Dan Schreiber 11/07/11 5:00 AM

Much has been made of Mayor Ed Lee’s allegedly laundered campaign contributions this election season, but many of his opponents also have taken ill Read More

San Francisco mayoral candidates push for last-minute votes

By: Sarah Gantz 11/06/11 4:00 AM

Mayoral candidates hit the streets Saturday, shaking hands, posing for pictures and even serving up a pancake breakfast in an effort to make the mo Read More

Spending in support of Ed Lee exceeds $2.6 million

By: Joshua Sabatini 11/04/11 6:07 PM

With just five days until Election Day, spending to try and put incumbent Mayor Ed Lee into his first four-year Read More

Leland Yee parody book claims to know ‘The Real Ed Lee’

By: Amy Crawford 10/31/11 4:00 AM

The authors of a new “biography” of Mayor Ed Lee are hoping voters will judge the book by its cover — and believe everything they read. Read More

David Chiu, Leland Yee also get help from independent money

By: Dan Schreiber 10/28/11 2:39 PM

Mayor Ed Lee isn’t the only one getting Read More

Independent monies tip scales toward Ed Lee in SF mayor race

By: Dan Schreiber 10/28/11 4:00 AM

Election monitors in SF would not be rare move

By: Amy Crawford 10/27/11 4:00 AM

Federal election monitors might conjure up visions of the Balkan states or the Jim Crow South, but if they come to San Francisco in November, it wi Read More

Mayhem breaks out between Yee, Lee SF mayoral campaigns

By: Dan Schreiber 10/26/11 4:00 AM

The battles of campaign season are normally waged in television ads, mass mailings and public debates, but on T Read More

Mustachioed group jumps on the Ed Lee bandwagon

By: Julia B. Chan 10/26/11 4:43 PM

Endorsements are sprouting everywhere for San Francisco's Interim Mayor Ed Lee. Read More

Brian Wilson, MC Hammer claim Mayor Ed Lee is ‘Too Legit to Quit’

By: Dan Schreiber 10/25/11 12:50 PM

Politicians have been known to pay top dollar for trained consultants to devise pithy political mottos for their advertising. Read More

‘Ed Heads’ are eager but law-abiding

By: Melissa Griffin 10/25/11 4:00 AM

Like my mother yelling and ringing a cowbell at my basketball games, supporters of Ed Lee may have gone a bit overboard. Read More

SF DA’s office investigating alleged ballot fraud by Ed Lee supporters

By: Dan Schreiber 10/24/11 2:08 PM

Allegations of voter manipulation by an independent committee working on behalf of Mayor Ed Lee are being investigated by the San Francisco Distric Read More

Ballot claim in San Francisco spurs call for probe of Ed Lee backers

By: Amy Crawford 10/24/11 4:00 AM

Allegations of voter manipulation by an independent expenditure group supporting Ed Lee prompted seven mayoral candidates to seek federal election Read More