Clement Street farmers market emerges as key 2024 campaign stop

A San Franciscan’s weekend stroll through the Clement Street farmers market could score them fresh fruits and vegetables, homemade baked goods — and, these days, face-to-face conversations with some of The City’s political candidates.

With San Francisco’s sights set on the upcoming November elections , contenders in this year’s races have taken to the Richmond district — and to other farmers markets across The City — to greet prospective voters and share their messages.

The Agricultural Institute of Marin, which oversees the market on Clement Street and another at Stonestown, said that Clement Street’s emergence as a political space happened naturally, thanks to the area’s role as a community hub for Richmond district residents and others visiting the neighborhood.

Ariel Vaughan, manager of the Clement Street Farmers Market, told The Examiner that all of AIM’s farmers markets have free-speech zones that anyone is allowed to use. Clement Street stands out thanks to its role as one of San Francisco’s merchant corridors, meaning that political candidates and their representatives can interact with residents visiting from all over The City.

“There’s that very fine line between inside and outside of the market that some of our other markets don’t have when we rent a parking lot or something like that,” Vaughan said. “We have a little bit more control over the space because we’re paying for it.”

“Clement’s situation is very, very busy,” she said. “There’s a lot of people practicing free speech during election season in that space.”

Participating politicians, campaigns and organizers must fill out forms so that the institute can ensure free-speech activities are taking place, and that sign-ups aren’t selling a product or promoting a business.

“Even before we’ve developed those rules, the market has always been a space that folks come to share information,” Vaughan said.

In recent weeks, District 1 supervisorial candidates have been the most common campaigners. Candidates — including incumbent Supervisor Connie Chan — have been eager to meet voters well in advance of anyone casting ballots.

“For those of us who live in the Richmond, we know the Clement Street Farmers Market has always been a community hub where people come to shop and hang out,” Chan said.

She said she has been working alongside Clement Street merchants and farmers market organizers to create “a safe and vibrant space for everyone.”

“I’m glad to see political candidates recognize this space and take the opportunity to join me to meet and greet District 1 residents and visitors,” Chan said.

Julie Edwards, a political consultant for Chan, told The Examiner that Clement Street has become a popular spot for citywide campaigns to meet voters, including in the mayoral race.

Daniel Lurie, the Tipping Point founder and one of several hopefuls in the race , said visiting farmers markets “has been one of the most meaningful and energizing parts of the campaign.”

“Speaking with San Franciscans at farmers’ markets has been one of the most meaningful and energizing parts of the campaign,” Lurie said.

In addition to Clement Street, his campaign has also stopped by the Alemany Farmers Market, the Outer Sunset Farmers Market and the Fillmore Farmers Market.

“You get the real story from people in those early morning hours on the neighborhood-level issues they’re facing,” Lurie said.

Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin , the most recent mayoral candidate to enter the race after formally launching his campaign earlier this month, has already gotten in on the action. Kaitlyn Conway, the communications director for Peskin’s campaign, said that the markets are great ways of meeting voters where they’re at while also mingling with the residents who make up San Francisco’s neighborhoods.

“Aaron and his wife Nancy frequented these events before the campaign, and starting there made a lot of sense,” Conway said.

“Farmers markets like the one on Clement Street are a great reminder of the vibrancy and resiliency of our neighborhoods,” she said.

As San Francisco inches closer to the November election, Vaughan said she expects candidates’ campaigning on Clement Street to ramp up.

“I do think that that means that folks who come to the market are going to be informed about who they vote for,” she said. “I think that that’s the best possible option for the community.”

Vaughan said the presence of political campaigns is just as essential as any other component of the market.

“It goes back to the ethos of creating a community farmers market to me,” she said. “It’s just creating a community space for everyone involved, and I think that’s the most important part of these types of events.”