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Welcome back to our “Meet the Candidates” series, where we ask the District 9 supervisorial hopefuls in the November 2024 election one question each week. Candidates are asked to answer questions on policy, ideology and more in 100 words or fewer.
Answers are being published individually each week, but we are also archiving the weekly series here.
If you know of other political events, let me know and I will add them to the post.
I will be at The Rite Spot Cafe (2099 Folsom St.) at 5. p.m. on Thursday August 15, to say hello and talk about the district,or you can email me at oscar.palma@missionlocal.com.
This week’s question: Who areyou supporting to occupy the District9 seat at the BART board? Why?
Julian Bermudez
- Job: Works in and directs his family business, Rancho Grande Appliance
- Age: 27
- Residency: Born San Francisco in 1996, raised on and off in District 9 until he left for college in 2015, then the army in 2019 and now back, living in the Mission
- Transportation: Carpool/catch a ride
- Education: City College of San Francisco, Chico State University
- Languages: English and Spanish
Edward Wright. This is based on their endorsem*nts, who has donated to their campaigns, and what I understand about them. I believe that dark-money organizations should not be able to participate in San Francisco elections after November 5. Dark money and big tech have infiltrated our city to push their agenda with complete disregard for the people of San Francisco.
Endorsed by:SFGOP… read more here
h brown
- Job: Retired special education teacher
- Age: 80
- Residency: Tenant, at current address for nine years, redistricted into District 9 in April 2022
- Transportation:Walking
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in education and master’s degree in special education from Clemson University
- Languages:English
I’ll vote for Joe Sangirardi, because Bevan Dufty said to.
I don’t do that very often, but my relationship with Dufty goes back so far, and has been so mutually productive, that I automatically accept that he is best endorsem*nt a candidate hoping to fill his seat could have.
Boy, that last sentence is certainly tightly packed.
Let our readers sort it out to make sure they aren’t bots.
lol
Peskin for Mayor!!
Endorsed by:No endorsem*nts listed.
Roberto Hernandez
- Job: CEO, Cultura y Arte Nativa de Las Americas (CANA).
- Age: 67
- Residency: Homeowner, born in the Mission in June 1956 and has not left
- Transportation:Car and bicycle
- Education:Bachelor’s degree in sociology from University of San Francisco
- Languages: English and Spanish
For the past eight years, District 9 has been blessed to be represented by one of the most hands-on BART directors ever: Bevan Dufty.
Bevan is a regular BART rider who’s passionate about supporting its recovery from the impacts of the pandemic. You can even find him with a broom, helping clean our stations!
I believe that Joe Sangirardi will continue that style of leadership, especially since he has Bevan’s support. Joe is not only a transit expert, but his experience in housing is a huge bonus as we work to build units at and around BART stations.
Endorsed by:Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ+ Democratic Club, Firefighters Union, United Educators of SF (#2), San Francisco DCCC (#2), Civil Rights Leader Dolores Huerta… read more here.
Jackie Fielder
- Job: Nonprofit co-director at Stop the Money Pipeline. Former educator at San Francisco State University, co-founder of the San Francisco Public Bank Coalition. Democratic Socialist
- Age: 29
- Residency: Tenant, lived in District 9 September 2017 to June 2018, October 2019 to August 2020 ,and April 2021 to present
- Transportation: Public
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in public policy and master’s degree in sociology from Stanford University
- Languages: English and Spanish
Edward Wright. He’s a renter, union member, LGBTQ community organizer, and public-transit professional. He has experience in government, writing laws for three local legislators, overseeing budgets to keep projects on track, and building consensus to get difficult things done. And we both agree that it is possible to have clean, safe, accessible, and culturally vibrant District 9 BART Plazas by getting neighbors, community groups, vendors, public works employees and SFPD into one room to work out a long term strategy.
Endorsed by United Educators of SF (#1), Small Business Forward, SF Women’s Political Committee (#1), Bernal Heights Democratic Club, California Nurses Association… read more here.
Jaime Gutierrez
- Job: Transit supervisor for SFMTA/Muni
- Age: 57
- Residency: Tenant, born in District 9 in 1967 and, except for three years spent in the Army, has resided here ever since
- Transportation: Bike
- Education: U.S. Army, City College of San Francisco, University of California, Berkeley
- Languages: English and Spanish
As a Transportation Worker, I support Edward Wright.Status quo and business as usual is not working for BART. I prefer to support someone that is going to hold BART accountable. Edward is a life-long transportation advocate that has spent years riding and thinking about transportation. He seems very intent on bringing BART back from the pandemic. If passengers are on public transportation and it feels clean, safe, viable, and affordable, then they will ride more, rather than less. Edward has a systemwide understanding of successful transportation.He wants to benefit and support the workers who keep it running smoothly.
Endorsed by:Transportation Workers Union Local 200 … read more here
Stephen Torres
- Job: Bartender at Twin Peaks Tavern, customer service at Flowercraft Nursery and freelance writer
- Age: 46
- Residency: Tenant, lived in District 9 summer 2001 to fall 2003, and returned in the summer 2010
- Transportation: Public
- Education: Moorpark Community College and San Francisco City College as work has permitted
- Languages: English and Spanish
I am supporting Edward Wright for the BART Board District 9 seat. I have worked alongside Edward for many years and can personally attest to not only for his vast knowledge and experience within public transportation, but his passion for ensuring for it a sustainable and equitable future rooted in equity and accessibility for all our Bay Area Residents, especially those I hope to represent here in San Francisco’s 9th Supervisorial District.
Endorsed by:Former state Senator Mark Leno, District 9supervisor Hillary Ronen, District 3 Supervisor Aaron Peskin, Harvey Milk Democratic Club (#2), National Union of Healthcare Workers… read more here
Trevor Chandler
- Job: Public school teacher since 2023. Former director of government and public policy at Citizen, a public safety app.
- Age: 37
- Residency: Tenant, living in District 9 since July 2021
- Transportation: Public
- Education: Plymouth State University
- Languages:English
I am supporting Joe Sangirardi for BART, because I know he is as serious about addressing the unacceptable conditions at our 16th and 24th Street BART stations as I am. Like me, he believes in a positive, proactive approach, instead of the negative and reactive approach we have seen, where we wait until the situation becomes a crisis and need to shut down the plazas.
You can read my full BART plan attrevor4sf.com/bart
District 9’s Supervisor and our BART Director must work together closely to ensure safety at our BART plazas is the top priority.
Endorsed by:San Francisco DCCC (#1), Latino LGBTQ political organizationHONOR PAC, Chinese American Democratic Club, SF League of Conservation Voters, LIUNA Local 261… read more here
District 9 contributions
Candidates are rotated alphabetically. Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at oscar.palma@missionlocal.com
Read the rest of the District 9 questions here, and the entire “Meet the Candidates” series here.
You can register to vote via the sf.gov website. Illustrations for the series by Neil Ballard.
