If you’re one of the thousands of San Franciscans experiencing homelessness, you might be wondering if you can vote in this election.
The answer is yes — even if you lack a fixed address or physical identification when you register or cast your ballot.
“In San Francisco, it’s hard to not be eligible to vote,” said Isaac Goldman, outreach coordinator with the city’s Department of Elections.
The process might feel daunting or difficult to understand. Here, we aim to answer the major questions that you might have so you can make your voice heard this election, in races for mayor, president and many other offices. You can also weigh in on local and state propositions, including 15 municipal ballot measures that could affect issues ranging from governance reform to increased subsidies for extremely low-income residents.
Check out our voter guide for written and audio explanations of local measures.
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter for information that helps you engage with your city and community.
Where can I register and vote?
While the formal registration period has passed, you may still register and vote with a provisional ballot in the same visit, in person through Election Day, Nov. 5, at City Hall, at 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place. The City Hall Voting Center is open:
- Weekdays: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Weekends: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Election Day: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
To find the voting center, click here.
You may also cast a ballot at your local polling place on Election Day. Click here to find a polling place in your precinct. If you go to a site outside your precinct, you might not be allowed to vote in certain location-based races, including for the supervisor who would represent you in City Hall.
Do I need a fixed address to register?
You do not need a permanent address to register or vote. In Section 4 of your registration form, which asks for your home address, you should mark the location where you spend most of your time, such as the intersection nearest where you sleep or the address of a shelter. Election workers will use that information to determine your precinct.
When I register and vote, what kind of identification will I need?
When registering, you will be asked for your full California driver’s license or identification number or, if you don’t have those, the last four digits of your Social Security number.
In California, if you provide the requested information about your identity upon registering, you shouldn’t need identification when you vote.
If you don’t provide that information when registering, then when you cast your ballot you will need to show identification such as a passport, ID card from another state, or a military, student or employee ID card with your name and photo. Click here to see the full list of acceptable documents.
If you do not show any of those documents during registration or voting, the Department of Elections will try to contact you later by phone, email or letter. You will have until Dec. 5 to respond with photographic or other proof of identification for your ballot to be counted. The department encourages voters to respond as soon as possible.
Can I vote by mail?
It is too late to register for a mail-in ballot for this election. But if you’d like your ballot mailed to you in future elections and you have a secure mailing address, such as a friend’s house or a P.O. box, you can write that address in Section 5 of the voter registration form. That location does not have to match your place of residence.
If you registered before Oct. 21 and included a mailing address in your form, you should receive a mail-in ballot, which you can track track here.
What if I can’t get to a polling place?
If you are registered and cannot get to a polling place or City Hall, you may authorize someone to pick up your ballot and deliver it to you. Beginning Oct. 28, you may also request that city personnel drop off your ballot at a specific location, including any cross street, through a process called emergency ballot delivery — even if you are not registered.
Do you have other questions about voting in San Francisco? Email the Department of Elections at [email protected] or call 415-554-4375. Click here to find phone numbers for assistance in languages other than English.
