Millennials are taking over San Francisco City Hall

A younger generation is poised to reshape San Francisco politics, with four millennials joining the Board of Supervisors next year. 

Danny Sauter, Bilal Mahmood, Jackie Fielder, and Chyanne Chen — all between the ages of 30 and 40—will begin their political careers alongside fellow newcomer Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie, who has no government experience. Pending Mayor London Breed’s appointment for District 2 to replace outgoing Supervisor Catherine Stefani, there may be another young member joining soon.

Together, they represent one of the youngest and least experienced slate of leaders in recent city history.

When they take office in January, the board members will face daunting challenges: a mounting budget deficit, a citywide rezoning, and a potentially hostile Republican-controlled federal government. Still, the new members are hopeful they can bring a fresh perspective to the city’s issues. 

Four years after his first run, Sauter won easily to become the supervisor representing the Financial District, Union Square, North Beach, Nob Hill, Chinatown, and Russian Hill.

A nonprofit executive and neighborhood activist, Sauter is considered a moderate, ending the progressive legacy of outgoing supervisor Aaron Peskin.

Sauter told The Standard it’s his duty to focus on small business and economic recovery as he represents downtown touristy areas like Fisherman’s Wharf.

He said he’s looking forward to working with the new board and mayor, pledging to set aside pettiness and division as the city grapples with a massive fiscal crisis and the administration of President-elect Donald Trump.

“There’s always going to be an element of politics, and we’ll deal with that,” Sauter said. “But I do have optimism that there’s going to be more collaboration.”

Former tech entrepreneur Mahmood unseated democratic socialist Dean Preston in a tight race that featured mudslinging from both sides. He will oversee the troubled Tenderloin neighborhood, which has been plagued by fentanyl deaths, homeless encampments, and crime. 

Mahmood — backed by moderate political group GrowSF, which has been angling for Preston’s ouster for years — took aim at his opponent’s record on housing and drug enforcement. 

A former policy analyst with the Obama administration, Mahmood this year was elected to the Democratic County Central Committee in a moderate takeover of the local party’s governing body. He will be the first South Asian and Muslim supervisor in city history.

“I met residents who lost loved ones to overdoses,” Mahmood said about his time on the campaign trail. “It is an issue and crisis that affects everyone.”

He also said he encourages all levels of housing in the district, including the Haight, the Western Addition, and Japantown.

“Unless you’re dealing [with the basics], voters are going to vote you out,” he said. “My focus will be on basic quality-of-life issues.”

While many races were nail-biters, progressive Fielder won by the widest margin in the Mission. 

A climate activist who identifies as a democratic socialist, Fielder will take over a district that could become a hot spot in the fight against the Trump administration’s deportation plans. She will likely be one of the board’s staunchest progressive leaders.

Fielder is a founder of the city’s Public Bank Coalition, advocated against the San Francisco Police Department’s use-of-force policy, and was a leader of the Stop the Money Pipeline project, which focuses on environmental justice. This is her first publicly held office; in 2020, she ran unsuccessfully against state Sen. Scott Wiener.

Fielder said she wants to prioritize safe BART stations, help street vendors, combat gun violence, and fill pot holes. She added that the Mission will play a defensive role if Trump tries to clamp down on its undocumented residents.

“We’re really lucky in the district to have immigration rights coalitions who have been here before,” she told The Standard. “They’re already getting to work. I’m not waiting until January to meet with them. That’s going to be a big priority for me.”

The tightest supervisor race this year was in District 11, where Chen won by 190 votes over Michael Lai.

A Chinese immigrant from Guangzhou, Chen came to the U.S. at 15 and brings a bicultural, bilingual perspective to the diverse southeastern district, which includes Ingleside, Excelsior, and Crocker-Amazon, which has a large Asian American population. 

Chen is no stranger to politics. She’s active in labor and national Chinese American civil rights groups. She pledged to use her voice “to fight for a fair share for D11 residents.”

Chen, who belongs to the local progressive camp,  has served on the board of the Chinese Progressive Association in Chinatown and has strong ties with community groups.