And then there were three: The race to succeed Nancy Pelosi takes shape

"In short: Yes, you can count on another Great Highway ballot measure in 2026. All of San Francisco has the next several months to practice their bad Al Pacino "Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in" impressions. Will this ballot measure win? No. Not even the people who will be ardently backing it expect it to win. So why do it?"

"A drive along the Great Highway was more than just a scenic oceanside trip. It also got you someplace. With this ballot measure, the reverse will be true: It's not so much about the destination. It's about the trip. Confused? Don't be. Here's what we wrote on Nov. 3: Nobody seems to think a ballot measure in 2026 to reopen the highway would pass. But if such a measure were to be put before the electorate, and if a bloc of Chinese voters ran to the polls, and if there were a Chinese candidate running in a high-profile race - well, that would surely be interesting..."

"All of this happened, more or less. With Supervisor Connie Chan's entry last week into the race to succeed Rep. Nancy Pelosi, all of this is also becoming less and less of a hypothetical. So, expect such a ballot measure. But expect more ballot measures, and not just about the Great Highway. Expect one in June for the primary and one in November. Surely one will be about putting cars back on the highway and the other will be about ... zoning? Or maybe marijuana dispensaries on Taraval? So long as it gets large numbers of motivated Westside Chinese voters out to the polls - does it matter?"

San Francisco will have a 2026 ballot measure to reopen the Great Highway. Many voters and supporters expect the measure to fail. The principal aim of the measure is to motivate turnout among Westside Chinese voters rather than to secure victory. Supervisor Connie Chan's entry into the congressional race increases the measure's electoral relevance. Multiple ballot measures are likely in 2026, including one for the June primary and another in November, potentially covering reopening the highway, zoning changes, or marijuana dispensaries on Taraval. Campaigns will focus on driving motivated local constituencies to the polls to influence higher-profile contests.

Read at Mission Local