Is London Breed the only woman and only graduate of SF public schools candidate in this mayoral race? Chinese community demands public apology and retraction

(SAN FRANCISCO) "I'm a lifelong San Franciscan, the only woman and only graduate of SF public schools in the race," Mayor London Breed, who is running for re-election on November 5, 2024, wrote on her candidate statement of qualifications filed with the city's Department of Elections. Members of the Chinese community denounce Breed's false statement with the intent to mislead the voters and discriminate against Chinese American candidates.

Among 13 mayoral candidates who have been confirmed as qualified to compete in the contest in the November election, Ellen Lee Zhou is a woman and a graduate of San Francisco public schools from high school to college. Nelson Mei is also a mayoral candidate growing up in San Francisco and a graduate of public schools from high school to college. It happened that both mayoral candidates are Chinese Americans.

The Candidate Statement of Qualifications, which is limited to 200 words for each candidate and allows to include a candidate’s education and qualification, will be published in the Voter Information Pamphlet.

"Any candidate who knowingly makes a false statement of material fact in their candidate statement with the intent to mislead the voters in connection with their campaign for nomination or election may be punished by a fine of up to $1,000," the Department of Elections stated in the Candidate Guide for candidates running for mayor and Board of Supervisors.

In Breed's candidate statement filed with the Department of Elections prior to the June 11 deadline, she wrote in the first paragraph that she was the only woman and the only graduate of public schools in San Francisco among all mayoral candidates in 2024 race.

Breed’s statement has been challenged by Ellen Lee Zhou, who is among the 13 qualified mayoral candidates listed on the website of the Department of Elections.

"Am I a man?" said Zhou who is a third-time mayoral candidate challenging Breed in 2018, 2019 and 2024. She was outraged at Breed's candidate statement.

In the 2024 mayoral election, Zhou was the first candidate to file a declaration of candidacy on December 30, 2021 and the first to finish all filings on May 24, 2024 as a qualified candidate to run for mayor in November.

"London Breed claimed she is the only woman and only graduate of SF public in this race. I believe there are three women for this mayoral race, London Breed, Ellen Lee Zhou and one write-in candidate Serena Hughes," Zhou wrote in her complaint with the Department of Elections. "Many of us graduated from public schools. I graduated from public school."

Zhou immigrated to San Francisco from China with her parents at age 16. She first enrolled in the Newcomer High School which was permanently closed by the San Francisco Unified School District over a decade ago. Zhou was then transferred to Jefferson High School in Daly City and subsequently attended San Francisco City College and San Francisco State University majored in Social Work. "I attended all public schools in my lifetime," Zhou added.

"We had 53 registered mayoral candidates to start with. After June 11,2024 (the nomination period closed), only 13 qualified. How did London Breed know ahead of the time on June 7, 2024 (when Breed signed her Candidate Statement of Qualifications) only herself is a woman for this race?" Zhou said.

"It is also about discrimination by Mayor Breed against me as a 3-time mayoral candidate," Zhou said that Breed didn't see Chinese Americans as qualified political candidates running for public offices.

Breed insisted she made no mistakes on her candidate statement. “London Breed is the only woman running for mayor who was not storming the Capitol on January 6th, like Ellen Lee Zhou.” wrote Joe Arellano, campaign spokesman for Breed, who responded to the inquiry from Wind Newspaper.

On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., was attacked by hundreds of supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump. It was two months after Trump being defeated in the 2020 presidential election. Zhou has been a supporter of Trump and joined the rally in D.C. on that day.

"As for the current controversy, it's important for all candidates to provide accurate information about their backgrounds and qualifications," stated Nelson Mei, who is one of the 13 qualified candidates running for mayor in November. "Transparency and honesty are crucial in maintaining the trust of the voters."

Mei and Zhou are the only two Chinese Americans among 13 mayoral candidates. Both of them also speak fluent Cantonese and Mandarin. "I can confirm that I am a graduate of San Francisco public schools. I attended George Washington High School and later went on to San Francisco State University, which has given me a deep understanding and appreciation of our local education system," said Mei.

Breed is a graduate of Galileo High School in San Francisco, University of California at Davis with a bachelor's degree, and University of San Francisco, which is a private university, with a master's degree.

Sherry Lau, a community activist and a longtime resident in the Outer Sunset neighborhood, demanded Breed a public apology to the Chinese community.

Lau said she would rank Daniel Lurie as her first preferred candidate in the upcoming November mayoral election and rank Zhou as second choice. "London Breed has absolutely put false information in her candidate statement that will mislead voters. She is a woman of minority and fully understands what discrimination is about. It is very disappointing that now she discriminates against another woman of minority, Chinese American Ellen Lee Zhou," said Lau.

"Is London Breed the only woman and only public school graduate candidate in the mayoral race? Everyone knows the answers. This controversy reflects her ignorance and disrespect in her administration towards the Chinese community. We demand her to publicly apologize to the Chinese community," said Ping Lin, a community activist residing in the Portola neighborhood for almost four decades.

"Ellen (Zhou) is a woman and a mother. London Breed opens her eyes to tell lies. Her candidate statement is factual proof that she has been ignoring and overlooking the Chinese community for the past 6 years," said Allison Tse, a long time resident in the

Sunset District.

The mayoral race nomination period ended on June 11. All nomination documents including candidate statements were available for public review for 10 days until June 24. Any voters could challenge any documents filed at the Department of Elections prior to June 24.

"Following the close of the public examination period for each category of material, the Department may proceed with publication of that material," according to the Department of Elections.

Prior to the publication of the Voter Information Pamphlet, any voter has the right under the California Elections Code to seek a writ of mandate or an injunction from court requiring any material in the pamphlet to be amended or deleted, Department of Elections stated.