The San Francisco Board of Supervisors elected a new president Wednesday after the newly appointed members were sworn in.
District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, the longest-serving member of the Board, received a unanimous vote after receiving the sole nomination from District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey and District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan.
“It is my great honor to submit the name Rafael Mandelman as my nominee for president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors,” Dorsey said in a speech explaining why he thought Mandelman was the best choice. “What, in my opinion, Rafael recommends at this time to the presidency of this council is the temperament, intellect and good heart of someone who has worked cooperatively and well across ideological boundaries throughout his public life.”
Since joining the board in 2018, Mandelman has been an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, the city’s public transportation system, affordable housing and addressing behavioral health issues.
He is the first LGBTQ+ person to serve as chairman of the board of directors in more than two decades.
“He has been a fearless champion for the LGBTQ+ community of which we are both a part,” Dorsey said. “From the early days of the fight for marriage equality in 2004… to today’s fight to end transgender homelessness and fund HIV/AIDS services that remain a national model.”
Before voting on a new president, the re-elected and newly elected supervisors jointly raised their right hands as they took the oath of office as one body.
The five new members are Stephen Sherrill for District 2, Danny Sauter for District 3, Bilal Mahmood for District 5, Jackie Fielder for District 9 and Chyanne Chen for District 11. Six members from the previous board remain.
District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar, who won re-election in November, was optimistic yet somewhat nervous about working with her new colleagues.
“I’m excited to have a group of people with fresh eyes,” Melgar said in an interview. “I’m a little worried because everyone is coming from outside the government.”
Newly inaugurated Mayor Daniel Lurie also sat on the stage next to Mandelman to congratulate him and welcome the newly sworn supervisors.
“President, they voted you in unanimously,” Lurie said. ‘I don’t know the last time that happened. I see a bright future for our city because you eleven have put aside your differences for the betterment of our city.”
He told the new supervisors they will have to depend on the more experienced members to stay abreast of the ins and outs of working in the city’s legislative body.
“We have five new and six with tremendous experience that we will lean on in the days, weeks and months to come,” Lurie said. “We have work to do.”
