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San Francisco voter guide to the 2024 general election

We've broken down some of the top races and ballot measures ahead of Election Day.

Illustration of a voting pin surrounded by election form icons

Photo of people walking down a hall next to a poster that says "Vote here!"

Mail-in ballots will be arriving soon, and we&#x27;ve put together a guide to help you stay informed ahead of Election Day.Why it matters: Although the presidential race is pretty much locked in for left-leaning California, there are plenty of hotly contested propositions and local races to watch.

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Accidental fatal drug overdoses in San Francisco are trending downward, despite a slight uptick from July to August, according to the latest data from the city medical examiner's office.

Why it matters: 2023 was San Francisco's deadliest year on record for accidental overdoses with 810.

Yes, but: The latest numbers show about a 50% year-over-year decline.

By the numbers: In August, 45 people died from fatal overdoses compared to 88 people in August 2023.

What they're saying: "These numbers are encouraging but we still have so much work to do," Grant Colfax, the city's public health department director, said at a press conference last week. "We are certainly hopeful that this downward trend in overdose deaths continues but death rates remain far too high."

Threat level: Despite the year-to-year decline, there was still a slight uptick from July, when 41 people died.

So far this year, 462 people in San Francisco have died from overdosing  and the city is on pace to hit 693 by the end of 2024, according to an analysis by the San Francisco Chronicle.

The big picture: Fatal drug overdoses, which fell in the U.S. last year for the first time since before the pandemic, are continuing to decline, according to preliminary CDC data.

Nationwide, overdoses kill more than 100,000 people a year.

In the 12 months ending in April, there was a 10% decline nationwide and a 5% decline in deaths in California from the same period a year before.

The intrigue: Public health experts are stunned by how dramatically deaths are falling, NPR reports.

"Everyone is going to come out and claim that what they did is what caused the decline," Daniel Ciccarone, a physician at the University of California, San Francisco, told NPR, but "what makes it fascinating is the speed at which it's happening."

The bottom line: We need more data and more research to determine what's driving the decline in deaths, but experts have theories.

Naloxone is more widely available, and more drug users carry the medication with them for safety.

Many of the pandemic-era circumstances — like social isolation, increased stress and people using drugs alone — may have diminished.

San Francisco's fatal overdoses decline over past year

2023 was San Francisco's deadliest year on record for accidental overdoses, with 810.

Paul Harkin, director of harm reduction at GLIDE, hands out Narcan, fentanyl detection packets and other supplies in San Francisco in February. Photo: Nick Otto for the Washington Post

Fentanyl

Accidental fatal drug overdoses in San Francisco are trending downward, despite a slight uptick from July to August, according to the latest data from the city medical examiner&#x27;s office.Why it matters: 2023 was San Francisco&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="deadliest year" data-vars-click-url="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/sf-drug-crisis-overdose-record-broke-fentanyl-18611325.php" data-vars-content-id="5abe4b55-a169-4162-bacf-2c075524cc27" data-vars-headline="San Francisco&#x27;s fatal overdoses decline over past year" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/sf-drug-crisis-overdose-record-broke-fentanyl-18611325.php" target="_blank">deadliest year</a> on record for accidental overdoses with 810.

Health

Axios AI+

San Francisco-based OpenAI is facing more turmoil as CTO Mira Murati is leaving the company after more than six years "to create the time and space to do my own exploration," she announced on X this week.

Why it matters: Mayor London Breed last year declared SF the "AI capital of the world," but there's been trouble in AI paradise since that proclamation.

State of play: When OpenAI briefly ousted CEO Sam Altman last year, the board named Murati as interim CEO.

Following Murati's decision to step away from the company, Altman on Wednesday announced the departure of two other executives — Bob McGrew, chief research officer, and Barret Zoph, VP of research — and made several new appointments.

What they're saying: "Mira, Bob, and Barret made these decisions independently of each other and amicably," Altman's post said.

Altman thanked Murati saying, "We'll say more about the transition plans soon, but for now, I want to take a moment to just feel thanks."

OpenAI and a representative for Murati declined to comment beyond their public posts.

What we're watching: Earlier this week, OpenAI finalized plans to open a 315,000-square-foot workspace in Mission Bay, marking the largest office lease of the year in the city, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

In a tweet earlier this week, Breed thanked OpenAI and Altman "for expanding and continuing to call S.F. home."

Parisa Safarzadeh, a spokesperson for the mayor's office, echoed that sentiment, telling Axios via email that OpenAI's latest lease signals "the seriousness of [its] commitment to our city and the AI industry."

"The rate at which AI is booming in this city continues to accelerate," she said. "We are forging ahead to strengthen San Francisco's position as the center of this technology that is changing the world."

OpenAI is facing an executive exodus

San Francisco officials have looked to AI as a bit of a savior for the city's post-pandemic recovery.

Mira Murati Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

OpenAI

San Francisco-based OpenAI is facing more turmoil as CTO Mira Murati is leaving the company after more than six years &quot;to create the time and space to do my own exploration,&quot; she <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="announced on X" data-vars-click-url="https://x.com/miramurati/status/1839025700009030027?s=46" data-vars-content-id="abc2e8c9-d68e-4ee7-b553-40a87a0266a6" data-vars-headline="OpenAI is facing an executive exodus" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://x.com/miramurati/status/1839025700009030027?s=46" target="_blank">announced on X</a> this week.Why it matters: Mayor London Breed <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="last year" data-vars-click-url="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/mayor-breed-ai-capital-18166445.php" data-vars-content-id="abc2e8c9-d68e-4ee7-b553-40a87a0266a6" data-vars-headline="OpenAI is facing an executive exodus" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/mayor-breed-ai-capital-18166445.php" target="_blank">last year</a> declared SF the &quot;AI capital of the world,&quot; but there&#x27;s been trouble in AI paradise since that proclamation.

Latest news on Wall Street, Corporate America and financial regulation.

Business

Bay FC on Tuesday announced plans for their new practice facilities on Treasure Island, slated to open in 2027.

Why it matters: San Francisco's Treasure Island has been undergoing redevelopment in recent years and this is the latest boost to the historically underserved area.

What they're saying: "Treasure Island is one of the newest, hippest, coolest neighborhoods that is happening right before our eyes, and we couldn't be more thrilled to welcome Bay FC to Treasure Island as their new home for their training facility," Mayor London Breed said at a press conference on Tuesday. 

Context: Bay FC currently practices at San Jose State University and plays matches at PayPal Park, where the soccer club has a five-year lease that concludes at the end of the 2028 season.

What we're watching: It's unclear whether that means the NWSL team will build their permanent stadium there as well, the San Francisco Examiner reports.

"In terms of a stadium, we're a team for the full Bay Area, for all nine counties of the Bay," the team's CEO Brady Stewart said. "When we think about our stadium, we'll consider the full bay in our exploration."

Bay FC set to build practice facilities on Treasure Island

Bay FC currently practices at San Jose State University and plays matches at PayPal Park.

Mayor London Breed speaks with Bay FC co-founders where Bay FC announced the building of a new practice facility. Photo: Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

Soccer

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Bay FC" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2024/08/23/bay-fc-nwsl-playoffs-collective-bargaining-agreement" data-vars-content-id="c4e9093f-76d6-4cc4-b74a-59b33b1ac189" data-vars-headline="Bay FC set to build practice facilities on Treasure Island" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2024/08/23/bay-fc-nwsl-playoffs-collective-bargaining-agreement" target="_self">Bay FC</a> on Tuesday announced plans for their new practice facilities on Treasure Island, slated to open in 2027.Why it matters: San Francisco&#x27;s Treasure Island has been undergoing redevelopment in recent years and this is the latest boost to the historically underserved area.

Sports

Portrait of a Phenomenal Woman, a monument honoring Maya Angelou. Photo: Fred Rowe Photography. Courtesy of the San Francisco Arts Commission.

The San Francisco Arts Commission unveiled a monument Thursday at the main public library honoring the prolific writer and poet Maya Angelou.

Why it matters: Created by artist Lava Thomas, the work is the first public monument in the city depicting a Black woman.

Zoom in: The Maya Angelou monument, styled like a book, features a portrait of Angelou drawn by Thomas.

The structure features the quote "Still I Rise," a reference to one of Angelou's most famous poems.

Between the lines: Angelou attended San Francisco's George Washington High School and is perhaps the city's most famous streetcar conductor.

Flashback: SF passed an ordinance in 2018 requiring at least 30% of public art projects to depict real women.

In 2020, the representation of real women depicted in public art pieces in San Francisco was just 19%, according to the the city's Department on the Status of Women.

Yes, but: Prior to the completion of the Angelou monument, there were just two publicly owned city statues depicting real women, one of former mayor and current U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and the other of Florence Nightingale, according to the Department on the Status of Women's 2020 report.

Meanwhile, San Francisco owns 62 statues or monuments depicting real men.

SF unveils its first public monument honoring a Black woman

Angelou attended San Francisco's George Washington High School and is perhaps the city's most famous streetcar conductor.

Statues

<figure><img alt="monument" height="3335" id="017b599d-b977-4ee7-840f-c6e26ac3fa03" src="https://images.axios.com/hhFCg32XJPjcuM-u6iEVfpTgkcE=/2024/09/20/1726856561976.jpg" width="5000"/><figcaption>Portrait of a Phenomenal Woman, a monument honoring Maya Angelou. Photo: Fred Rowe Photography. Courtesy of the San Francisco Arts Commission.</figcaption></figure>The San Francisco Arts Commission unveiled a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="monument" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2023/03/20/san-francisco-public-art-statues-depicting-women" data-vars-content-id="d2fd8a9a-3cd4-402b-8896-b97b4d855ece" data-vars-headline="SF unveils its first public monument honoring a Black woman" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2023/03/20/san-francisco-public-art-statues-depicting-women" target="_self">monument</a> Thursday at the main public library honoring the prolific writer and poet Maya Angelou.Why it matters: Created by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="artist Lava Thomas" data-vars-click-url="https://www.sfartscommission.org/our-role-impact/press-room/press-release/mayor-london-breed-unveils-new-monument-honoring-dr-maya" data-vars-content-id="d2fd8a9a-3cd4-402b-8896-b97b4d855ece" data-vars-headline="SF unveils its first public monument honoring a Black woman" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.sfartscommission.org/our-role-impact/press-room/press-release/mayor-london-breed-unveils-new-monument-honoring-dr-maya" target="_blank">artist Lava Thomas</a>, the work is the first public monument in the city depicting a Black woman.

Megan Rose Dickey

Featured stories

San Francisco voter guide to the 2024 general election

OpenAI is facing an executive exodus

Bay FC set to build practice facilities on Treasure Island

San Francisco's fatal overdoses decline over past year

SF unveils its first public monument honoring a Black woman