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Lurie's San Francisco charter measures pass

Lurie's San Francisco charter measures pass

Rule Changes San Francisco, CA local

Voters approved the three measures, which expand mayoral power and raise the signature threshold for ballot initiatives to 8%. Results are due to be certified Dec. 3.

4 days ago: Mission Local: Lurie gains power and loses excuses

Overview

Updated 4 days ago

San Francisco voters approved Mayor Daniel Lurie's three charter measures, giving him more control over city departments and making it harder for residents to put measures on the ballot. Unofficial results showed Proposition D at 57.75%, E at 66.88% and F at 62.86%, with separate Proposition A passing at 70.64%.

The campaign for D, E and F raised $13.8 million, much of it from wealthy allies of the mayor; labor and nonprofit opponents raised far less. Mission Local reported on Nov. 7 that the win leaves Lurie owning City Hall's results, after years of blaming red tape for its problems. Results are scheduled to be certified Dec. 3.

Why it matters

If leads hold, San Francisco's mayor gains control over department heads and residents need four times as many signatures for ballot measures.

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Key Indicators

57.75%
Proposition D vote share
Unofficial results; raises the signature threshold from 2% to 8% of registered voters.
66.88%
Proposition E vote share
Unofficial results; lets the city administrator reform contracting procedures.
62.86%
Proposition F vote share
Unofficial results; gives the mayor sole power to hire and fire certain department heads.
70.64%
Proposition A vote share
Unofficial results; moves some boards and commissions from the charter to municipal code.
$13.8M
Pro-measure campaign funding
Raised for Props D, E and F, including from local billionaires.
8%
New signature threshold
Under Proposition D, up from 2% of registered voters, or about 40,500 signatures.

Voices

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People Involved

Daniel Lurie
Daniel Lurie
Mayor of San Francisco
Won all three of his charter measures; results are unofficial until certification.
 Michael Moritz
Michael Moritz
Venture capitalist and Lurie ally
Donor to the pro-Lurie charter campaign.
 Chris Larsen
Chris Larsen
Cryptocurrency billionaire and Lurie ally
Donor to the pro-Lurie charter campaign.

Organizations Involved

San Francisco Board of Supervisors
San Francisco Board of Supervisors
City legislative body
Measures passed, reducing its role in department oversight and ballot measures.

The Board of Supervisors is San Francisco's elected legislature.
Tipping Point Community
Tipping Point Community
Anti-poverty nonprofit
Network donors helped fund the charter campaign, which voters approved.

Tipping Point Community is an anti-poverty nonprofit founded by Mayor Daniel Lurie.

Timeline

1996 November 2026

5 events Latest: 4 days ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Mission Local: Lurie gains power and loses excuses

    Latest Analysis

    Mission Local reported that the mayor had won the powers he asked for, and that blaming red tape for City Hall's problems would no longer be an option for him.

  2. Voters approve Lurie's charter measures

    Election

    Unofficial results showed Proposition D at 57.75%, E at 66.88% and F at 62.86%, with Proposition A also passing. Lurie's endorsed supervisorial candidates led.

  3. Lurie charter measures lead in early returns

    Election

    Props D, E and F lead; separate Prop A leads 71% to 29% in early returns.

  4. Centrist charter campaign tied to Mark Farrell fails

    Election

    Despite more than $9 million from billionaires, the mayoral-power package lost.

  5. San Francisco voters slim down century-old city charter

    Charter reform

    Voters approved a major revision that reduced the charter's scope.

Scenarios

1

All four charter measures pass

Likely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Mission Local election-night reporting

Early returns show Proposition D at 58%, E at 67%, F at 63%, and separate Proposition A at 71%. A simple majority passes each; late ballots would need to erase large margins to change the outcome.

2

Proposition D fails while E and F pass

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Mission Local noted Prop. D had the narrowest lead

Prop. D's 58-42 margin is the smallest of the package. If late ballots break against it, the signature threshold stays at 2% while the mayor still gains contracting and hiring powers.

3

Late count flips one mayoral measure

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Mission Local cautions results are early

The leads range from 16 to 34 points. Proposition D is closest, so late absentee or provisional ballots could theoretically flip it while E and F hold.

4

Dec. 3 certification confirms all four measures

Likely Resolves by Dec 3, 2026

Discussed by: Bay Area Brief election-night reporting

The four charter measures passed by margins of 16 to 40 points. Counties keep counting mail and provisional ballots for days, so the vote shares can shift slightly, but certification is scheduled for Dec. 3.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1996

San Francisco charter overhaul (1996)

San Francisco voters agreed to slim down their then-century-old charter. Mission Local calls the current package the biggest change to city governance since that vote.

Then

The charter remained the city's governing document.

Now

It set the baseline that later reformers have tried to adjust.

Why this matters now

The current measures would alter mayoral and board authority on a scale not seen since that 1996 revision.

2024

Failed centrist charter campaign (2024)

Centrists pushed charter changes to expand mayoral power. The campaign was tied to Mark Farrell, who was running for mayor, and failed despite more than $9 million from billionaires including Michael Moritz.

Then

Voters rejected the package.

Now

The loss showed that mayoral-power charter changes could fail when tied to a polarizing candidate.

Why this matters now

Lurie avoided that frame by centering himself as a popular incumbent, and his measures are now leading.

Sources

(8)
+2
Mission Local Axios San Francisco KALW San Francisco Examiner Bay Area Brief Sun-Reporter San Francisco Business Times Mission Local