Welcome to our weekly “Meet the Candidates” series, in which we ask local candidates who have filed to run for office to respond to a question in 100 words or fewer. Answers will be published each week.
District 4 covers the area from 19th Avenue to Ocean Beach, Golden Gate Park to Lakeshore. It includes the Sunset, Parkside and Lakeshore neighborhoods.
Mission Local is hosting a free District 4 candidates forum on April 29 at the Ortega Branch library. RSVP here.
This month, Mayor Daniel Lurie and Board of Supervisors president Rafael Mandelman proposed three charter reform ballot measures for the November election. These propositions, if passed, would overall expand the mayor’s power and weaken the city’s oversight commissions and Board of Supervisors.
One of the propositions aims to make it harder to put new measures onto the ballot. Today, it takes just four of the 11 supervisors, the mayor or two percent of registered voters to put measures up for a vote.
The proposition would instead require a majority of the Board of Supervisors (six or more) to support the measure and put it on the ballot. That kind of agreement is not easy. Recently, for example, Supervisor Alan Wong was unable to get even three other supervisors — he was short one — to support a June measure to reopen the Great Highway.
The proposition would also remove the mayor’s ability to put measures directly on the ballot.
And lastly, for voter initiatives, the proposition would require signatures from 8 percent of registered voters, instead of the current 2 percent threshold. An example in District 4: Right now, a group of opponents of the Sunset Dunes park are gathering signatures to put a measure on the November ballot to reopen the Great Highway. They need some 10,000 signatures, but a similar endeavor in the future, if the mayor’s proposal passed, would require about 40,000.
This week’s question: Do you support the mayor’s proposition to raise the threshold for putting measures on the ballot? Why or why not?
Mission Local color codes the answers to yes/no questions. A blue background means the candidate answered yes, an orange background means no, and a yellow background means that the candidate answered ambiguously.
Alan Wong
- Job: Current District 4 Supervisor / Commander in California’s National Guard
- Age: 38
- Residency: Renter. Born and raised in District 4, and moved back to District 4 from Inner Sunset in October 2025
- Transportation: Driving, walking and public transit
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego; master’s degree from University of San Francisco
- Languages: English, Cantonese
I support Mayor Lurie and Board President Mandelman’s effort to improve governance in San Francisco. Our ballots have become increasingly long and confusing, with numerous measures that can overwhelm voters and sometimes even conflict with one another.
Raising the signature requirement from 2 percent to 8 percent is reasonable and still below the roughly 10 percent threshold required in many other jurisdictions across California. Increasing the supervisor threshold would also encourage the board to focus on legislating at City Hall rather than relying on ballot-box policymaking. These changes would help ensure that measures placed before voters have broader support.
Endorsed by: Mayor Daniel Lurie, GrowSF, San Francisco Democratic Party, San Francisco Police Officers Association, SF YIMBY, Former Mayor Willie Brown, Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, San Francisco Firefighters Local 798, Deputy Sheriffs’ Association of San Francisco … read more here.
Albert Chow
- Job: Owner of Great Wall Hardware, president of People of Parkside Sunset
- Age: 59
- Residency: Homeowner, living in District 4 since 1978
- Transportation: Driving and walking
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley
- Languages: English, semi-fluent in Cantonese
No. I helped lead the effort to recall Supervisor Engardio, where we had to collect 10,000 signatures to get on the ballot. I know how hard it is to gather signatures, especially for grassroots efforts.
With the money being spent to buy elections, voter sponsored initiatives are one of the only ways to help residents have their voice heard when local leaders only answer to special interests.
Making it harder to place measures on the ballot will only silence the voice of San Franciscans and ensure that only wealthy interests are able to decide what happens in our government.
Endorsed by: Chinese American Democratic Club, Retired SFPD Commander Richard Corriea, Retired SFPD Commander Peter Walsh, President of United Irish Cultural Center Liam Reidy
Natalie Gee
- Job: District 10 legislative aide
- Age: 40
- Residency: Renter, living in District 4 since 2021
- Transportation: Driving, walking and Muni
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University
- Languages: English, Cantonese
No. This is a blatant powergrab by corporations and the ultra-rich. When you can pay to gather signatures, raising signatures required to get on the ballot doesn’t create a fairer process. It just shuts out volunteer-driven initiatives and hands the process to only well-funded special interests.
Sunset residents have seen this playbook before from the same big money groups who backed the recalled Supervisor, who are now backing the appointed Supervisor, and who are fighting hard for this measure. Voters across D4 are supporting our campaign because they’re ready for a Supervisor who fights for us and not big money.
Endorsed by: California Working Families Party, Former Mayor Art Agnos, Former Assemblymember Phil Ting, Assemblymember Matt Haney, Supervisor Connie Chan, Myrna Melgar, Jackie Fielder, Shamann Walton, Chyanne Chen, Former Supervisor Gordon Mar, IFPTE 21, SEIU 1021, AFT 2121, San Francisco Tenants Union … read more here.
Jeremy Greco
- Job: Campus coordinator at Presidio Hill School
- Age: 54
- Residency: Renter, living in District 4 since 2001
- Transportation: Driving
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University
- Languages: English
I do not support this measure.
Right now, just four members of the Board of Supervisors can place a measure on the ballot, ensuring that minority voices still reach voters. Raising that threshold to a majority makes it easier for proposals that help everyday people to be blocked before the public can weigh in.
Increasing the signature requirement from 2% to 8% also raises the cost of participation, favoring billionaire-backed interests over grassroots efforts. The mayor already holds significant influence, and when supervisors align with that office, fewer independent voices reach voters.
We should be expanding access — not limiting it.
Endorsed by: N/A
David Lee
- Job: Educator at Laney College and San Francisco State University
- Age: 57
- Residency: Homeowner, living in D4 since September 2025
- Transportation: Driving, biking, public transit and walking
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College, master’s and doctorate degree from San Francisco State University
- Languages: English. Can understand Cantonese, Mandarin and Toishanese, but limited fluency.
I strongly oppose this measure because it is profoundly undemocratic.
This measure doesn’t fix anything besides effectively killing citizen-led initiatives and grassroots campaigns, diminishing accountability from the Board of Supervisors, and institutionalizing a “pay-to-play” system.
This measure will be a disaster and it is designed to ensure that only the wealthy have a say in our city’s future. For example, in 2015, my students and I led a successful effort to gather over 30,000 signatures for Proposition E (November 2015), the San Francisco Requirements For Public Meetings of Local Policy Bodies Initiative. [Note: Proponents of 2015 Prop. E submitted 16,653 signatures, according to the Department of Elections]
The measure was designed to enhance public … read more here.
Endorsed by: Retired judge Quentin Kopp, Lillian Sing, Julie Tang, Supervisor Chyanne Chen, Former Supervisor Aaron Peskin, Sandra Lee Fewer, Sophie Maxwell, Former SFPD Commander Richard Corriea
Candidates are rotated alphabetically. Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. Do you have questions you’d like to ask the candidates? Email junyao@missionlocal.com.
You can register to vote here.
I’d like to be surprised at Supv. Wong’s answer, but…..ya gotta dance with the one who brung ya.