Campaign Headquarters

As November 4 draws nearer, the presence of North Beach’s supervisor candidates can be felt in many different ways. Shop owners place their candidate of choice’s poster in their front windows, residents talk about their personalities and policies, and the candidates themselves can be found canvassing the streets.

            In terms of visibility, however, Joseph Alioto, Jr. has a distinct edge. His presence is felt physically in the neighborhood, thanks to his campaign headquarters. While other candidates are relying on word of mouth or headquarters in other districts, Alioto is clearly appealing to North Beach citizens with his office on Columbus and Greenwich.

            “We got really lucky with this place,” campaign volunteer Jennifer Stuart said. “Our campaign manager started looking for places to lease as soon as Joe announced his candidacy and found this pretty quickly. It’s great for visibility.”

The headquarters sit directly in between the tourist’s North Beach—full of vibrant restaurants and Italian specialty stores—and the resident’s North Beach, where people meander through the library or take classes at the community center. Additionally, the headquarters are visible from Washington Square Park.

            From the street, the building is a contrast to the colorful restaurants that surround it. Instead of loud signs proclaiming “Authentic Italian Food” and “The City’s Best Fondue!” the clean windows only show campaign posters. Inside, the room is clean and nearly all white, except for a lone painting of an Italian street. Otherwise, more posters, calendars full of appointments and debates, and the endorsement of Gavin Newsom line the bleach-white walls. Volunteers bustle around taking phone calls from people who would like to donate and making calls to tell people about Alioto. Passersby come in to learn about the candidate or let the campaign manager know what’s going on in the neighborhood. When I first walk in, resident Mel Woods is excitedly talking to campaign manager Jeff Dodd. When he leaves, Dodd explains that he has taken a personal interest in the campaign and that Woods “keeps his ear to the streets for us.”

The only person missing from the headquarters in the Alioto himself, who is out canvassing the streets. Though he and his wife live only a few blocks away, Alioto spends five to six hours a day going door to door.

            “Joe has a lot of energy and enthusiasm,” Stuart said. “He loves to go around and talk to people. We have to pull him out sometimes.”