Rebecca Lee
Reporter

Students who will turn 18 or older on or before Nov. 8 will be able to register and vote for mayor in the upcoming election which already has over 20 candidates registered for the race.

Former Mayor Gavin Newsom’s resignation upon being elected Lieutenant Governor of California has familiar candidates including former Supervisor Bevan Dufty, state Senator Leland Yee, City Attorney Dennis Herrera, Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting and former Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier (CSH ’86, CES ’82) vying for the post.

“Bevan Dufty, Leland Yee, Dennis Herrera and Phil Ting seem to be the top four candidates,” political consultant Johnny K. Wang said. “Herrera is well known for being the city attorney and his good policies. Yee has a long history in politics. He is popular with the ‘left side’ and older generations. Dufty is well-spoken and is most likely going to be the swing vote. Ting doesn’t have any enemies and wants to cut excess spending.”

The deadline to enter the candidacy for the election is in August, leaving time for more candidates to enter the race.

“This year in San Francisco a difference is that [the candidates] are focused on the economy, the budget deficit and cutting costs,” Wang said. “But they don’t want to cut pensions and public workers. In past years it has been focused on education and other social problems.”

Candidates’ platforms currently are focused on the economy, balancing the budget and cutting spending.

California residents can register to vote at sos.ca.gov. Out-of-state college students can vote in their home state’s local elections by absentee ballot.