San Francisco voters in District 8 will head to the polls on Nov. 3, 2026 to choose a new supervisor. In a recent “Meet the Candidates” feature, the three declared candidates answered a single question about three high‑profile ballot measures: Prop I (dedicating the city’s transfer tax to housing), Prop D (raising the signature threshold for future measures) and Prop 40 (a one‑time 5 % tax on billionaire wealth). Their concise replies give residents a quick reference for how each candidate plans to vote.
Candidate Summaries
Darshini Patel – a former DoorDash employee and veteran campaign staffer (Obama 2012, Harris 2024) who has owned a home in the district for a decade. Patel supports Prop 40, noting that the tax would allocate 90 % of revenue to health care and 10 % to schools and food, and argues that recent corporate restructuring shows billionaires are unlikely to flee the tax. She opposes Prop D, warning that higher signature costs would only benefit well‑funded interests. Patel backs Prop I, emphasizing that the measure simply redirects existing transfer‑tax revenue toward affordable housing programs.
Gary McCoy – a former staffer to former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former vice‑president of policy at HealthRIGHT 360. McCoy also backs Prop 40, stressing that the one‑time tax would keep Medi‑Cal and community clinics open for vulnerable families. He rejects Prop D, arguing that democracy should not hinge on the ability to spend millions on signature gathering. McCoy votes yes on Prop I, insisting that existing revenue should be channeled into affordable housing. He also supports Prop H and Measure RTM, warning that without them Muni and BART could face severe service cuts as early as January.
Michael Nguyen – a patent attorney and longtime renter in the district. Nguyen votes yes on Prop 40, saying California needs new revenue now to prevent hospital and emergency‑room closures, and to pre‑empt any future national wealth tax. He opposes Prop D, labeling it “bad for democracy” because higher signature thresholds would limit voter‑initiated measures to well‑funded special interests. Nguyen is a “Hell Yes” on Prop I, noting that the measure would unlock $100 million of existing transfer‑tax funds for affordable housing, especially social‑housing projects, and that the market alone cannot provide affordable homes for working families.
Endorsements and Community Support
Patel’s endorsements include the United Educators for Social Freedom (UESF), Solidarity Club SF, San Franciscans for Social Housing, Small Business Forward, Supervisor Myrna Melgar and the Rose Pak Asian American Club. McCoy is backed by Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, State Senator Scott Wiener, Supervisor Matt Dorsey, the San Francisco Labor Council, the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club, the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, the San Francisco Tenants Union and UESF. Nguyen receives support from the GLBTQ+ Asian Pacific Alliance, the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, the San Francisco Green Party, former Supervisor Dean Preston, the Working Families Party and UESF.
What Voters Should Know
All three candidates agree on two points: they support the housing‑funding measure (Prop I) and they oppose the signature‑threshold measure (Prop D). Their views diverge on the billionaire tax (Prop 40), with each candidate endorsing it as a necessary revenue source for health care, schools and affordable housing.
San Franciscans can review each candidate’s full answers and endorsements on Mission Local’s website. The city’s official voter guide also provides detailed information on each measure, including fiscal analyses and projected impacts.
Election Day is Nov. 3, 2026. Voters can register online via the sf.gov portal or at any Department of Elections office. For those needing assistance, the city offers free voter‑registration drives throughout the district in the weeks leading up to the election.
Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.
