1/ Ok, if I'm following this correctly, here's some of the ways that ranked choice voting can get weird. First, you need to know that from left to centerish (this is SF) these candidates for DA fall out like this
Ches Boudin
Susy Loftus
Leif Dautch
Nancy Tung
Ches Boudin
Susy Loftus
Leif Dautch
Nancy Tung
2/ The other thing you need to know is that while their are some differences, Boudin and Loftus aren't that far apart in policy. But Boudin was supported by Bernie and DSA, and Loftus by the local Dem party. And Tung is the furtherest to the center/right. OK?
3/ Dautch got the least votes. So he was eliminated, and the votes that went for him were retabulated according to who those voters picked as their second choice. Most of those went to Tung, which makes sense, but a decent number to both Boudin and Loftus.
4/ But then Tung gets eliminated and almost as many of her supporters listed Boudin as one of their choices as Loftus. Loftus is still ahead, but was this strategic voting among Tung voters, who saw Loftus as their greatest threat? Or is everybody just confused?
5/ In the last mayor's race, we saw open strategizing between Kim and Leno. (Vote for me first, and her/him second.) I don't know if there was any of that, even sub rosa, among the DA candidates, but anyway a lot of new variables to puzzle over.
6/ There are still absentee and provisional ballots to count, so we don't know the answer yet, but as things stand now, Loftus is squeaking it out.
7/ Anyway, welcome to the fun of RCV, NYC!
8/ Uh, we have a lot of votes still to count in SF. A lot. No idea which candidates or positions on too-close-to-call ballot initiatives are likely to be favored in the same day drop-offs, for example
