Residents across multiple neighborhoods say they have received mailers at a rate of roughly one per day over the past two weeks. Several noted that flyers were delivered even to units that appeared vacant, including one property with eviction notices and Animal Care & Control postings visibly taped to the door.

The volume reflects the cash reality of competitive San Francisco races. Campaign finance filings — reviewed each reporting period at the Ethics Commission — show candidates and outside committees spending heavily in the final sprint. Direct mail remains one of the largest line items in local campaign budgets, alongside digital advertising and field operations.

Whether the spending moves votes is a separate question. Researchers have found mixed evidence on the effectiveness of direct mail in low-information local races, and longtime San Francisco observers note the pattern is not new — this cycle's complaints track closely with what residents said in 2020 and 2022.

What does appear different this cycle, based on resident accounts, is the intensity of street canvassing alongside the mail. Multiple people described feeling pressed by clipboard-carrying volunteers in high-foot-traffic areas.

The volume will not last. Mail campaigns typically conclude the Friday before Election Day to ensure delivery. Canvassing operations generally stand down by the evening of November 5.

Election results will be posted by the Department of Elections beginning the night of November 5, with ranked-choice tabulation and mail ballot processing continuing in the days that follow. The first substantial update on close races typically comes within the first week of canvassing.