City Attorney Dennis Herrera's Statement on the November 2003 Implementation of Ranked Choice Voting in San Francisco

MARCH 19, 2003

As City Attorney of San Francisco it is my duty to enforce and defend the laws of our City, and Ranked Choice Voting -- which voters added to our Charter with the passage of Proposition A in March 2002 -- is no exception.

I'm proud to say that my office has spared no effort in providing proactive legal counsel to our government clients in the Department of Elections and on the Election Commission to help them successfully implement the law in accordance with its November 2003 mandate. Commensurate with the law's aggressive implementation timeline, I have also accorded it a top priority within my office, committing every resource necessary to ensure the law is effectively enforced and -- should it face a legal attack in court -- vigorously defended.

Finally, I want to applaud the Center for Voting and Democracy and others here today for their efforts in making sure that word gets out to San Francisco voters about Ranked Choice Voting. Today's press conference represents a promising, grassroots step in a vitally important process of voter education that will take place in tandem with the Department of Elections over the next several months.