Seven obvious signs of election fraud
in the 49er Stadium vote:

1. Tallies from the Bayview-Hunters Point area were withheld until the other districts were counted and then had the exact number needed for a “miraculous” “last minute” “come from behind” victory.

2. Suspiciously high percentage of “Yes” votes from the Bayview. Claimed percentage: over 80%

This is unprecedented especially when many in the neighborhood were openly dissatisfied and suspicious about the proposal. This same neighborhood has rejected stadium measures in the past.

3. Suspiciously high turnout in the areas that voted “Yes”.

In Bayview, the claimed number of voters: is 5,200. In contrast, only 3,700 Bayview residents voted in 1996, the US presidential/Giant stadium election. In Excelsior (60% claimed votes for “Yes”) turnout was claimed to be up 60% over the previous election. In Visitacion Valley (70% claimed votes for “Yes”) turnout was claimed to be up 35%. This is especially strange when you consider that the election department opened fewer polling places for this election than in the one the previous year because it anticipated a low turnout.

4. The city opened special weekend polling places in housing projects where the “Yes” vote was claimed to be 90%. These were the only special polling places opened in the entire City.

5. The pro-stadium campaign paid convicted felons (drug pushers and thieves), some with records of violence against Bayview community members $500 per week to “bring out the vote.” (San Francisco Chronicle: June 8, 1997. Page D1.)

6. The mayor demanded that his staff (City employees) work on behalf of the Stadium measure – or else.

7. Mayor was clearly confident of the outcome before the Bayview vote came in even though his own pollsters and campaign managers anticipated a loss based on the early results.

In other parts of the world, this is more than enough to launch an investigation into election fraud. The stadium “deal” represents an enormous financial commitment on the part of the City and will seriously impact our ability to borrow money in the future and pay for needed social services and infrastructure improvements. We deserve an honest count.

Action steps:

1. Inform your friends that the 49er stadium election results are suspicious and merit investigation
2. Write the editors of the Chronicle and Examiner and tell them to fulfill their responsibility by giving this important story the coverage it deserves.

If you saw anything suspicious or unusual on election day (June 3, 1997) in San Francisco, please send us your report.

Back