A week after the November 8 election, the Elections Commission voted 4-2 not to renew Elections Director John Arntz’s contract.

John Arntz has run free, fair and functional elections for the last 20 years. Before he took the helm, there were five directors in five years, ballot boxes floating in the bay and a lack of confidence in city elections. He turned the department around and has instilled confidence that San Francisco elections are accurate and impartial.

All 12 of the managers in Arntz’s department signed a six page letter to the commission outlining his excellent performance and urging his reappointment, but their input was ignored.

“As Department division managers, all of us have worked directly with Director Arntz to implement policies and procedures that meet – and often exceed – compliance with election law, and we have all witnessed firsthand the efforts that Director Arntz has put forth to ensure election transparency and integrity…For the reasons stated in this letter, we, the undersigned, wholeheartedly support the reappointment of John Arntz as the Director of the Department of Elections for another five- year term.”

Arntz received excellent performance reviews from the Elections Commission in 2020 and 2021 for running “one of the best elections in the country”.

So why didn’t the Elections Commission renew Arntz’s contract? Why are they opting to spend tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to run a search for his replacement? Why are they upending one of the few San Francisco government departments that runs smoothly and without scandal?

“Our decision wasn’t about your performance…” reads an email sent from commission president Chris Jerdonek to Arntz.

Sign this petition to let the Elections Commission know that we must demand renewal of the Elections Director’s contract based on excellent performance.