The Problem
By 2022, San Francisco had reached a breaking point. City Hall was gridlocked by ideology, neighborhoods were feeling less safe, and schools were struggling to meet basic standards. Many residents had stopped believing local elections could make a difference, and while there were pragmatic leaders who focused on results over rhetoric, they weren’t getting the support they needed to win - and lead.
What We Did About It
Our predecessor organization, TogetherSF Action, launched its first major citywide campaign to reconnect voters with local issues and support practical, solutions-oriented leadership. Volunteers distributed 55,000 voter guides, made 3,000 phone calls, and knocked on nearly 4,000 doors across the city—helping neighbors not only understand the stakes of being locally informed, but also helping them make choices on candidates and measures that could move San Francisco away from counterproductive ideology and toward results.
What Happened
Voters responded in what would mark the start of the pragmatic take-back of our city. Brooke Jenkins was elected District Attorney, Joel Engardio flipped District 4 away from an incumbent, and reform-minded leaders like Supervisor Matt Dorsey in District 6, and School Board members Lisa Weissman-Ward, and Lainie Motamedi all won on messages of accountability and competence. The election also saw several key propositions pass that modernized City Hall operations. The results of this election - in no short thanks to the tireless work of volunteers across San Francisco - was a big win for pragmatism, and a sign that San Franciscans were ready for leadership, not politics. This critical election cycle would tee up a continued pragmatic comeback that would extend into the 2024 election cycle with the historic flip of the local democratic party and the continued shift toward pragmatism on the Board of Supervisors.
