So, this contributor screwed up. We totally forgot to re-register to vote after we moved a couple of months ago.

We had been afraid we wouldn't be able to vote at all and had contemplated "pretending" to still live at our old address. (Hey, it's in the same district!) Luckily we found out that registered voters who move within San Francisco can still vote provisionally. Phew!

Other circumstances that require provisional voting include not having a photo ID (UPDATE: The identification requirement only applies to first-time voters listed in the original roster with "ID Required" under their name -- knowing your social security number is sufficient ID.), not surrendering your absentee ballot, your name not appearing on the roster, or if you'd like to vote for a party different than the one you're registered under.

We had to vote provisionally a couple of years ago and forgot to check our stub 41 days later to see if our vote was indeed counted. Has anyone out there checked their provisional ballot stub in the past and confirmed that their vote was counted?

Incidentally, the creator of the provisional ballot, former S.F. Registrar Jay William Patterson III, passed away in August of this year. The ballot, which was invented in 1985, has become a nationwide requirement, and "has, without a doubt, done more to enfranchise voters and increase voter participation than any other development in recent election history," wrote Secretary of State Debra Bowen in May. Also, May 6 is Jay Patterson Day in San Francisco. RIP, Mr. Patterson.