2008 San Francisco Board of Supervisors election 
 
The 2008 San Francisco Board of Supervisors elections  occurred on November 4, 2008. Seven of the eleven seats of the San Francisco  Board of Supervisors  were contested in this election. Four incumbents were termed out of office, while three ran for reelection.
Municipal elections in California  are officially non-partisan, though most candidates in San Francisco do receive funding and support from various political parties. The election was held using ranked-choice voting .
Results 
District 1 
 
This district consists of the Richmond District . Incumbent supervisor Jake McGoldrick  was termed out of office.
District 1 supervisorial election, 2008[ 1] [ 2]  
 
Candidate
 
Votes
 
%
  
Eric Mar 
 
11,625
 
40.52
  
Sue Lee
 
9,733
 
33.93
  
Alicia Wang
 
4,206
 
14.66
  
Brian Larkin
 
995
 
3.47
  
Jason Jungreis
 
610
 
2.13
  
Nicholas Belloni
 
536
 
1.87
  
Fidel Gakuba
 
361
 
1.26
  
George Flamik
 
324
 
1.13
  
Sherman D'Silva
 
254
 
0.89
  
Write-in 
 
42
 
0.15
  
Valid votes
 
29,643
 
90.79%
  
Invalid or blank votes
 
3,008
 
9.21
  
Total votes
 
32,651  
 
100.00  
 
Voter turnout
 
80.76%
  
Ranked choice voting — Pass 1
  
Eric Mar 
 
11,649
 
40.51
  
Sue Lee
 
9,753
 
33.92
  
Alicia Wang (eliminated) 
 
4,218
 
14.67
  
Brian Larkin (eliminated) 
 
998
 
3.47
  
Jason Jungreis (eliminated) 
 
614
 
2.14
  
Nicholas Belloni (eliminated) 
 
537
 
1.87
  
Fidel Gakuba (eliminated) 
 
363
 
1.26
  
George Flamik (eliminated) 
 
325
 
1.13
  
Sherman D'Silva (eliminated) 
 
257
 
0.89
  
Write-in  (eliminated) 
 
42
 
0.15
  
Eligible votes
 
28,756
 
90.73%
  
Exhausted votes
 
2,938
 
9.27%
  
Total votes
 
31,694  
 
100.00  
 
Ranked choice voting — Pass 2
  
Eric Mar 
 
13,152
 
50.67
  
Sue Lee
 
12,805
 
49.33
  
Eligible votes
 
25,957
 
81,90%
  
Exhausted votes
 
5,737
 
18.10%
  
Total votes
 
31,694  
 
100.00  
 
District 3 
 
District 3 consists of the northeastern corner of San Francisco, including Chinatown , the Financial District , Fisherman's Wharf , Nob Hill , North Beach , and Telegraph Hill . Incumbent supervisor Aaron Peskin  was termed out of office.
District 3 supervisorial election, 2008[ 1] [ 3]  
 
Candidate
 
Votes
 
%
  
David Chiu 
 
10,209
 
37.72
  
Joseph Alioto, Jr.
 
6,268
 
23.16
  
Denise McCarthy
 
3,165
 
11.69
  
Claudine Cheng
 
2,492
 
9.21
  
Mike DeNunzio
 
1,330
 
4.91
  
Lynn Jefferson
 
1,234
 
4.56
  
Tony Gantner
 
1,191
 
4.40
  
Wilma Pang
 
939
 
3.47
  
Mark Quessey
 
204
 
0.75
  
Write-in 
 
35
 
0.13
  
Valid votes
 
28,276
 
90.33%
  
Invalid or blank votes
 
3,028
 
9.67
  
Total votes
 
31,304  
 
100.00  
 
Voter turnout
 
80.44%
  
Ranked choice voting — Pass 7
  
David Chiu 
 
13,582
 
59.37
  
Joseph Alioto, Jr.
 
9,293
 
40.63
  
Eligible votes
 
22,875
 
76.03%
  
Exhausted votes
 
7,211
 
23.97%
  
Total votes
 
30,086  
 
100.00  
 
Ranked-choice vote distribution 
Candidate 
Pass 1 
Pass 2 
Pass 3 
Pass 4 
Pass 5 
Pass 6 
Pass 7
  
David Chiu  
10,270  
10,512  
10,800  
10,919  
11,146  
12,348  
13,582 
 
Joseph Alioto, Jr. 
6,285 
6,400 
6,655 
7,113 
7,423 
8,175 
9,293
  
Denise McCarthy 
3,172 
3,341 
3,572 
3,715 
4,227 
4,633  
  
Claudine Cheng 
2,515 
2,779 
2,886 
3,027 
3,223  
  
Lynn Jefferson 
1,235 
1,365 
1,471 
1,650  
  
Mike DeNunzio 
1,335 
1,386 
1,466  
  
Tony Gantner 
1,195 
1,235  
  
Wilma Pang 
952  
  
Mark Quessey 
204 
 
Write-in  
35 
 
Eligible ballots  
27,198 
27,018 
26,850 
26,424 
26,019 
25,156 
22,875
  
Exhausted ballots  
2,888 
3,068 
3,236 
3,662 
4,067 
4,930 
7,211
  
Total 
30,086 
30,086 
30,086 
30,086 
30,086 
30,086 
30,086
  
District 4 
 
District 4 consists primarily of the Sunset district . Incumbent supervisor Carmen Chu  was seeking her first election after being appointed by Mayor Gavin Newsom  in the wake of Ed Jew 's suspension and resignation.
District 4 supervisorial special election, 2008[ 1] [ 4]  
 
Candidate
 
Votes
 
%
  
Carmen Chu  (incumbent )
 
15,353
 
52.37
  
Ron Dudum
 
10,304
 
35.15
  
David Ferguson
 
3,606
 
12.30
  
Write-in 
 
53
 
0.18
  
Valid votes
 
30,060
 
92.86%
  
Invalid or blank votes
 
2,312
 
7.14
  
Total votes
 
32,372  
 
100.00  
 
Voter turnout
 
79.14%
  
Ranked choice voting — Pass 1
  
Carmen Chu  (incumbent )
 
15,405
 
52.33
  
Ron Dudum
 
10,346
 
35.14
  
David Ferguson
 
3,635
 
12.35
  
Write-in 
 
53
 
0.18
  
Eligible votes
 
29,439
 
93.08%
  
Exhausted votes
 
2,189
 
6.92%
  
Total votes
 
31,628  
 
100.00  
 
District 5 
 
District 5 consists of the Fillmore , Haight-Ashbury , Hayes Valley , Japantown , UCSF , and the Western Addition . Incumbent supervisor Ross Mirkarimi  was seeking reelection.
District 5 supervisorial election, 2008[ 1]  
 
Candidate
 
Votes
 
%
  
Ross Mirkarimi  (incumbent )
 
27,482
 
77.39
  
Owen P. O'Connell
 
5,962
 
16.79
  
Rob Anderson
 
1,982
 
5.58
  
Write-in 
 
87
 
0.24
  
Valid votes
 
37,408
 
86.85%
  
Invalid or blank votes
 
5,662
 
13.15
  
Total votes
 
43,070  
 
100.00  
 
Voter turnout
 
83.33%
  
District 7 
 
District 7 consists of City College , Forest Hill , Lake Merced , Mount Davidson , Parkmerced , San Francisco State University , St. Francis Wood , and Twin Peaks . Incumbent supervisor Sean Elsbernd  was seeking reelection.
District 7 supervisorial election, 2008[ 1]  
 
Candidate
 
Votes
 
%
  
Sean Elsbernd  (incumbent )
 
22,019
 
71.06
  
Julian Lagos
 
5,792
 
18.69
  
Billy Bob Whitmer
 
2,964
 
9.57
  
Write-in 
 
211
 
0.68
  
Valid votes
 
32,420
 
85.09%
  
Invalid or blank votes
 
5,683
 
14.91
  
Total votes
 
38,103  
 
100.00  
 
Voter turnout
 
84.04%
  
District 9 
 
District 9 consists of Bernal Heights , the Inner Mission , and part of the Portola . Incumbent supervisor Tom Ammiano  was termed out of office.
District 9 supervisorial election, 2008[ 1] [ 5]  
 
Candidate
 
Votes
 
%
  
David Campos 
 
9,440
 
35.78
  
Mark Sanchez 
 
7,616
 
28.86
  
Eric Quezada
 
5,337
 
20.23
  
Eva Royale
 
1,830
 
6.94
  
Thomas Valtin
 
857
 
3.25
  
Eric Storey
 
802
 
3.04
  
Vern Mathews
 
466
 
1.77
  
Write-in 
 
39
 
0.15
  
Valid votes
 
27,183
 
91.59%
  
Invalid or blank votes
 
2,497
 
8.41
  
Total votes
 
29,680  
 
100.00  
 
Voter turnout
 
81.46%
  
Ranked choice voting — Pass 3
  
David Campos 
 
12,637
 
53.83
  
Mark Sanchez 
 
10,837
 
46.17
  
Eligible votes
 
23,474
 
81.27%
  
Exhausted votes
 
5,410
 
18.73%
  
Total votes
 
28,884  
 
100.00  
 
Ranked-choice vote distribution 
Candidate 
Pass 1 
Pass 2 
Pass 3
  
David Campos  
9,468  
10,387  
12,637 
 
Mark Sanchez  
7,648 
8,623 
10,837
  
Eric Quezada 
5,352 
5,964  
  
Eva Royale 
1,842  
  
Thomas Valtin 
862 
 
Eric Storey 
806 
 
Vern Mathews 
469 
 
Write-in  
39 
 
Eligible ballots  
26,486 
24,974 
23,474
  
Exhausted ballots  
2,398 
3,910 
5,410
  
Total 
28,884 
28,884 
28,884
  
District 11 
 
District 11 consists of the Excelsior , Ingleside , Oceanview , and the Outer Mission . Incumbent supervisor Gerardo Sandoval  was termed out of office.
District 11 supervisorial election, 2008[ 1] [ 6]  
 
Candidate
 
Votes
 
%
  
John Avalos 
 
6,918
 
28.19
  
Ahsha Safaí 
 
5,941
 
24.21
  
Myrna Lim
 
4,442
 
18.10
  
Julio Ramos
 
3,626
 
14.78
  
Randall Knox
 
2,324
 
9.47
  
Mary Goodnature
 
455
 
1.85
  
Adrian Bermudez
 
410
 
1.67
  
Eli Horn
 
391
 
1.59
  
Write-in 
 
24
 
0.10
  
A. Jackson Matteson
 
6
 
0.02
  
Valid votes
 
25,126
 
91.37%
  
Invalid or blank votes
 
2,372
 
8.63
  
Total votes
 
27,498  
 
100.00  
 
Voter turnout
 
76.21%
  
Ranked choice voting — Pass 4
  
John Avalos 
 
10,225
 
52.93
  
Ahsha Safaí 
 
9,092
 
47.07
  
Eligible votes
 
19,317
 
71.79%
  
Exhausted votes
 
7,592
 
28.21%
  
Total votes
 
26,909  
 
100.00  
 
Ranked-choice vote distribution 
Candidate 
Pass 1 
Pass 2 
Pass 3 
Pass 4
  
John Avalos  
6,964  
7,625  
8,887  
10,225 
 
Ahsha Safaí  
5,941 
5,965 
6,727 
7,611
  
Myrna Lim 
4,462 
5,053 
5,929  
  
Julio Ramos 
3,646 
4,321  
  
Randall Knox 
2,337  
  
Mary Goodnature 
459 
 
Adrian Bermudez 
415 
 
Eli Horn 
394 
 
Write-in  
30 
 
A. Jackson Matteson 
1 
 
Eligible ballots  
24,673 
23,726 
22,427 
19,317
  
Exhausted ballots  
2,236 
3,183 
4,482 
7,592
  
Total 
26,909 
26,909 
26,909 
26,909
  
References 
^ a   b   c   d   e   f   g   "November 4, 2008 General Election Statement of Vote"  (PDF) . San Francisco Department of Elections. Archived from the original  (PDF)  on April 8, 2011. Retrieved December 24,  2010 . 
 
^   "District 1 – Ranked-choice voting" . San Francisco Department of Elections. December 2, 2008. Archived from the original  on April 8, 2011. Retrieved December 24,  2010 . 
 
^   "District 3 – Ranked-choice voting" . San Francisco Department of Elections. December 2, 2008. Archived from the original  on April 8, 2011. Retrieved December 24,  2010 . 
 
^   "District 4 – Ranked-choice voting" . San Francisco Department of Elections. December 2, 2008. Archived from the original  on April 8, 2011. Retrieved December 24,  2010 . 
 
^   "District 9 – Ranked-choice voting" . San Francisco Department of Elections. December 2, 2008. Archived from the original  on April 8, 2011. Retrieved December 24,  2010 . 
 
^   
"District 11 – Ranked-choice voting" . San Francisco Department of Elections. December 2, 2008. Archived from the original  on April 8, 2011. Retrieved December 24,  2010 . 
 
  
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