The San Francisco Chronicle declared boldly in its front-page headline Wednesday morning:
“PROGRESSIVISM IS OUT — FOR NOW,” and “Voters make it clear: San Francisco can no longer be called a progressive city.”
For now, at least, San Francisco can no longer be called a progressive city. Not after voters approved ballot measures Tuesday to loosen restrictions on the police and screen welfare recipients for drugs, while a measure to boost developers was leading and likely to pass.
Voters also backed a slate of moderates to run the local Democratic County Central Committee, whose endorsements could reshape who is elected in San Francisco for years. Four years ago, progressives won all but two seats on the DCCC.
Voters reacted to a wave of crime in the city, which began even before the Black Lives Matter movement had attacked police and led to brief attempts to “defund” local law enforcement. The crime wave has also led to an exodus of retailers from the city.
Measure E, which expanded police powers and allowed police to use drones and to install surveillance cameras, was leading as of Wednesday morning by a margin of nearly 60% to 40%.
Measure F, which requires drug testing for those receiving public assistance benefits from the city, was leading by an even greater margin of 63% to 37%.
The only police-related ballot measure that failed was Measure B, which would have raised taxes to increase police staffing.
Measure C, which limits real estate transfer taxes and makes it easier to convert commercial real estate to residential real estate, was leading by roughly 54% to 46%.
Measure D, which creates more restrictive ethics laws governing city employees, also passed.
Measure G, which requires algebra by the eighth grade in an effort to improve the quality of public education, passed as well.
Voters in San Francisco have been rebelling against left-wing rule since 2022, when they recalled three members of the oral school board, and also recalled left-wing district attorney Chesa Boudin.
