Officials in San Francisco announced Tuesday that ballots are being sent out to residents of District 4, as Supervisor Joel Engardio faces a recall election.

The city's Department of Elections said the U.S. Postal Service will begin delivering 50,000 vote-by-mail packets to district voters beginning this week. The election, scheduled for Sep. 16, is open only to District 4 residents, which covers several westside neighborhoods including the Sunset, Outer Sunset, Parkside, Lakeshore and Merced Manor. 

Each packet contains a ballot printed in four languages: English, Chinese, Spanish and Filipino, officials said. Packets also include a postage-paid return envelope, voting instructions and a Voter Information Pamphlet.

"Voters have several convenient options for returning their ballots," elections director John Arntz said in a statement.

Ballots can be turned in via mail, at the Department of Elections office at City Hall or at three drop boxes located at the Ortega Branch Library, Parkside Branch Library and City Hall starting on Aug. 18. For in-person voting, voters will also have the option of early voting at City Hall beginning Aug. 18.

On Election Day, 20 polling places in the district will also be open.

In May, a recall petition against the District 4 supervisor was certified, after the recall campaign submitted more than 10,000 valid signatures.

Engardio, who was elected in 2022, faced a growing backlash among residents over his support of Proposition K, which closed a two-mile stretch of the upper Great Highway to cars to create a park. While the measure passed citywide with 54% of the vote in last November's election, much of the opposition was centered in the Sunset and Richmond districts.

The roadway permanently closed to automobiles on March 14.

"We didn't ask for this fight - but we won't back down from it either. He betrayed the Westside. Now the people get their say," organizers of the Recall Engardio campaign said after the petition was certified.  

Engardio said in May, "I'm confident Sunset voters will reject this recall. I hear from many residents who appreciate having a supervisor who shows up and delivers. I will campaign hard every day and continue to show up for District 4 so I can serve my community for my full term."

Additional information about the election, including voter registrartion, can be found on the San Francisco Department of Elections website.