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Board of Supervisors unanimously appoints Edwin Lee as successor mayor
Summary
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 11-0 to appoint City Administrator Edwin M. Lee as successor mayor after a vacancy in the mayor's office; Lee was sworn in on the City Hall steps and pledged to work with the board to tackle the city’s fiscal and public-safety challenges.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to appoint Edwin M. Lee as successor mayor following a vacancy in the mayor’s office.
The board cast an 11-0 roll call vote to appoint Lee, who was immediately sworn in on the City Hall steps by Presiding Judge Catherine Feinstein. In remarks after the oath, Lee said he would “work with each and every one of you to make sure that our constituents are well served” and pledged to be “a mayor for everyone.”
The vote came after County Counsel and the clerk read amendments to the motion to make clear the legal basis for the appointment. The clerk recited amendments that named Edwin Lee in the motion and cited the relevant charter section creating authority for the board to fill the vacancy. Supervisor Sean Campos spoke before the vote about the political stakes and the need for transparency while endorsing cooperation; Supervisor Scott Wiener said Lee could “step in on day one” and called him qualified; Supervisor Mark Farrell and others praised other candidates who had been considered and encouraged unity behind the appointment.
The board’s action formalized an interim arrangement that will extend through the term expiring 2012-01-08, as noted in the motion. The appointment followed procedural steps required by local charter guidance and the board’s internal rules for filling a vacancy in the mayor’s office.
In his remarks after being sworn, Lee said he accepted the “awesome responsibility” with humility and that he planned to meet individually with members of the board and to address the city’s top priorities immediately, naming the budget deficit and the search for a permanent police chief.
The Board recessed to the rotunda for the swearing-in ceremony, which drew members of the public and visiting officials, including Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom and Oakland Mayor Jean Quan. The board indicated it would return to regular business following the ceremony.
Action details and the unanimous vote were recorded in the official roll call announced by the clerk.
