San Francisco mayoral election, 2003

Infobox Election
election_name = San Francisco mayoral election, 2003
country = San Francisco
type = presidential
ongoing = no
previous_election = San Francisco mayoral election, 1999
previous_year = 1999
next_election = San Francisco mayoral election, 2007
next_year = 2007
election_date = November 4 and December 9, 2003


candidate1 = Gavin Newsom
party1 = Democratic Party (United States)
popular_vote1 = 87,196 (Nov. 4)
133,546 (Dec. 9)
percentage1 = 41.92% (Nov. 4)
52.81% (Dec. 9)


candidate2 = Matt Gonzalez
party2 = Green Party (United States)
popular_vote2 = 40,714 (Nov. 4)
119,329 (Dec. 9)
percentage2 = 19.57% (Nov. 4)
47.19% (Dec. 9)
title = Mayor
before_election = Willie Brown
before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
after_election = Gavin Newsom
after_party = Democratic Party (United States)The San Francisco mayoral election of 2003 occurred on November 4, 2003. The incumbent, Willie Brown, was termed out of office and could not seek a third term. The general election included three top candidates including then Supervisor Gavin Newsom and then President of the Board of Supervisors, Matt Gonzalez and former Supervisor Angela Alioto. No candidate received the required majority so the race went into a run-off of the two top candidates, which were Gavin Newsom and Matt Gonzalez. The run-off occurred on December 9, 2003 where Gavin Newsom was elected mayor of San Francisco.

Municipal elections in California are officially non-partisan, though most candidates in San Francisco do receive funding and support from various political parties.

In 2003, then-Supervisor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, ran in a large field of challengers, including Board of Supervisors President Matt Gonzalez, Supervisor Tom Ammiano, former Supervisor Angela Alioto, city Treasurer Susan Leal, and former Police Chief Tony Ribera. Newsom and Gonzalez took first and second place, respectively, but neither won a majority, so the two advanced to a runoff election.

Newsom ran as a moderate against leftist/progressive Gonzalez, a member of the Green Party. The election was close, with Gonzalez leading in the polls and winning the popular vote among ballots cast on election day, while Newsom had a larger lead on absentee ballots.