Judge throws out lawsuit over Leanna Louie’s removal from SF supervisor race

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – A judge dismissed a lawsuit Wednesday filed by aspiring San Francisco supervisor candidate Leanna Louie against the city’s decision to remove her from the race due to issues over where she lives.

City Attorney David Chiu announced the removal of Louie from the ballot in August after an investigation found that while she registered to run in District 4, she had not lived there long enough to establish an official residency there. A longtime resident in District 10, Louie signed a month-to-month lease on a District 4 home on 35th Avenue in March before declaring her candidacy. Yet she continued to live in her District 10 home, as well as two other residences outside of District 4.

READ MORE: SF supervisor candidate Leanna Louie removed from ballot over residency

The ruling from Judge Richard Ulmer came after a 90-minute-hearing Tuesday, where Louie’s attorneys argued that the Department of Elections did not have the authority to strike her from the ballot and that Louie did establish legal domicile in District 4 in time. According to a report from Mission Local, Ulmer walked out of the hearing while one of Louie’s attorneys was still speaking.

Ulmer’s 5-page ruling Wednesday stated that San Francisco’s election law is clear: candidates have to establish residency before filing to run.

“San Francisco has district voting for its board of supervisors,” the ruling states. “By law, candidates must be domiciled in the district they seek to represent for not less than 30 days before filing to run. Leanna Louie failed to provide such a domicile in district four, so her name cannot appear on the November 8, 2022 ballot.” 

Ulmer’s ruling came a day after the city’s deadline for finalizing the ballot, thereby removing the opportunity for Louie to appeal.