Polls close soon in recall election: Will Joel Engardio overcome Sunset voters’ wrath?

Polls have closed in the recall election of Supervisor Joel Engardio, who has faced the wrath of Sunset voters upset over his support last year for a measure that closed a portion of the Great Highway to make way for Sunset Dunes park.

While many District 4 constituents in the Sunset, Lakeshore, and Parkside neighborhoods that Engardio represents claim their supervisor “betrayed” them for putting Proposition K on the November ballot, some voters on Tuesday described the election as a waste of time and taxpayer money.

Near Sunset Dunes Park, Greg Corvi called the recall a “collective hissy fit by part of the voting public” as he dropped off his ballot at the Ortega Branch Library.

“I don’t really appreciate this recall,” Corvi said. “I don’t know what it’s going to accomplish.”

Leslie Hu, a Sunset District native and self-described progressive, shared similar feelings when she dropped off her ballot at City Hall this afternoon.

Hu said she felt like a minority voice in her neighborhood, noting that she did not support Engardio’s election in 2022, but backed Prop. K. Hu said she voted against the recall.

“It’s not democratic if you vote to remove someone and then have somebody else appoint them,” said Hu, who also serves as secretary of the United Educators of San Francisco, which did not take an official position on the recall. “That’s the opposite of democracy in my mind.”

Roughly 15,553 voters, or roughly 31% of registered voters in the district, had returned their recall ballots as of Tuesday. Election results won’t be available until after polls close Tuesday at 8:45 p.m. — but early Department of Elections data hints at Engardio’s long odds at surviving the recall. A good portion of ballots cast before Election Day originated from precincts where opposition to Prop. K was the strongest. 

The measure passed with nearly 55% of the vote citywide, but was rejected by 64% of D4 voters, setting off political outrage in the district.

Even those who questioned the recall’s merits said they were frustrated with Engardio’s decision.

“I had a hard time making a decision and I really don’t know what the ultimate outcome is going to be,” Michele Summa said as she dropped off her ballot at the Parkside Branch Library in the morning.

Summa did not disclose how she voted but said the recall has been very divisive, and she questioned whether it would solve the underlying issues sparked by Prop. K.

“But I do feel like a message will be sent to Joel Engardio when he sees the final numbers,” she said.

While former officials and consultants have said Engardio faces an uphill battle to keep his seat, his supporters say he’s up to the challenge. Those against the recall claim his machine-like work ethic and conversations with voters in recent months may sway the election in his favor.

“I’ve been out door-knocking this morning,” Engardio told The Standard after he arrived at an afternoon Board of Supervisors meeting at City Hall, seeming to be in good spirits.

Engardio is also banking on voters who appreciate Sunset Dunes to show up to the polls en masse and have touted Engardio’s focus on constituent services and support for popular night markets as evidence that he has represented his district well. 

In a statement, Engardio said recalls should be “reserved for corruption or impropriety — not policy disagreements on a single issue” and noted that voters will have the chance to weigh in on whether he should stay in office when he is up for reelection next year.

“Voters should reject this unnecessary recall [Tuesday] so I can keep focusing on what really matters: improving public safety, supporting parents and families, and helping small businesses thrive,” Engardio said.

More than 50,000 voters in the Sunset have received their ballots, which can be returned by mail, dropped off at an official ballot box, or cast in person at designated polling places.

Twenty polling places will be open on Election Day. Ballots may also be dropped off at Ortega Branch Library, Parkside Branch Library, and City Hall.

Voters can track the status of their ballot through the city’s online voter portal.

D4 voters who haven’t received their ballots can go to polling places or City Hall and ask for one. If you are eligible to vote but not registered, you can visit the City Hall Voting Center or a polling place before 8 p.m. and cast a ballot as a conditional voter.

Since the election is confined to one district, the vote count is expected to be tallied quickly, though the Elections Department is required to continue receiving mailed ballots for another week. The department is expected to submit the final result to the Board of Supervisors for certification 10 days after the election.

The board could vote to certify the results as early as Sept. 30. If he survives the recall, Engardio will face voters again next year for reelection. If he loses, he will be required to leave office within 10 days of certification. 

From there, Mayor Daniel Lurie would appoint his successor — with far-ranging implications through 2026. Engardio often voted in favor of Lurie’s policy agenda, and the mayor would want to appoint another moderate who could help pass his legislative agenda, including a contentious upzoning plan slated for approval this fall. 

Separately, some supervisors have floated the idea of another ballot measure next year to remove Sunset Dunes and reopen the road to cars.

This post will be updated.