San Francisco, California Public Records

Additionally, the City of San Francisco's website provides information on local land use and zoning regulations, as well as resources for obtaining permits and licenses for various property-related activities.

The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) is the primary law enforcement agency serving the city. The department's website offers information on public safety initiatives, crime reporting, and the local sex offender registry. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation also maintains a searchable database of inmate information for individuals incarcerated in San Francisco and across the state. For missing persons cases, the California Department of Justice's Office of the Attorney General provides resources and a statewide reporting system.

San Francisco voters are served by the San Francisco Department of Elections, located at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 48, San Francisco, CA 94102 (phone: 415-554-4375, website: sfelections.org). This office administers all federal, state, county, and municipal elections for San Francisco's approximately 508,000 registered voters. California residents can register to vote online at registertovote.ca.gov up to 15 days before an election, or use conditional voter registration in person through Election Day. Registration requires a California driver's license or ID number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. Pre-registration is available for 16- and 17-year-olds who will be 18 by Election Day. San Francisco holds municipal elections on odd-numbered years for mayor, Board of Supervisors (11 district seats), city attorney, district attorney, treasurer, sheriff, and other citywide offices. Mayoral elections occur every four years (2019, 2023, 2027), with supervisors serving staggered four-year terms. The next municipal election is November 4, 2025, when five supervisor seats will be on the ballot. San Francisco uses ranked-choice voting for mayor, supervisors, and other citywide offices, allowing voters to rank up to three candidates in order of preference. Local ballot measures addressing city ordinances, charter amendments, and bond issues appear frequently. San Francisco voters can find their assigned polling place, vote center, or ballot drop box location through the Department of Elections website at sfelections.org/tools/pollingplacelocator or by calling the department. California is a vote-by-mail state, and all registered voters automatically receive mail ballots approximately 29 days before each election. Voted ballots can be returned by mail (postmarked by Election Day), deposited in official drop boxes through 8 PM on Election Day, or delivered in person to voting centers or the Department of Elections. In-person voting is available at the City Hall Voting Center beginning 29 days before Election Day and at neighborhood voting centers during the final days before and on Election Day. In the November 2024 presidential election, San Francisco County reported approximately 456,000 ballots cast from 508,000 registered voters, representing roughly 90% turnout. San Francisco voters supported Democratic candidates overwhelmingly, continuing the city's progressive voting patterns. On November 3, 2026, San Francisco voters will decide several significant races: California's gubernatorial election (Governor Gavin Newsom's term expires), all 80 California State Assembly seats (San Francisco includes portions of Districts 17 and 19), State Senate District 11 (covering San Francisco), and various county offices including sheriff, assessor-recorder, district attorney, and city attorney depending on term expirations. No U.S. Senate seat from California is scheduled for election in 2026 (next in 2028). County offices such as Superior Court judges may also appear on the ballot. Public election records in California include voter registration files (with address and party affiliation public but date of birth and driver's license number confidential), campaign finance reports searchable through the San Francisco Ethics Commission at sfethics.org and the California Fair Political Practices Commission at fppc.ca.gov, candidate statements and filings available at sfelections.org, and precinct-level election results published after certification. The Department of Elections provides historical election results, maps of supervisor districts and precincts, and voter registration statistics through its website. California allows permanent vote-by-mail status, which all voters now receive automatically, and offers accessible voting options including curbside voting, voting at home with remote accessible vote-by-mail, and assistance at voting centers.