WHEN
Election Day: Saturday, May 6
Early voting: Early voting has concluded. It was held Monday, April 24, to Tuesday, May 2.
VOTING BY MAIL
Information and directions on voting by mail are available here.
WHERE
A list of Election Day voting locations can be found here.
There are new council district boundaries following last year's redistricting process. You can enter your address here to confirm your district.
WHAT TO BRING
A valid ID. Acceptable forms of ID include:
- Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
- Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS
- Texas Handgun License issued by DPS
- United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph
If you don’t have a valid photo ID, here are other options.
WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT?
San Antonians will vote for mayor, city council representatives, and one ballot proposition. There are also several school bond and trustee elections.
BALLOT INITIATIVE
Proposition A
Prop A’s ballot language is long and contains numerous criminal statutes. Voters can read the Prop A language in full here before the election.
Proposition A, also known as the San Antonio Justice Charter, is a suite of criminal justice reforms. It would decriminalize abortion crimes and marijuana possession under four ounces, expand and codify cite-and-release policy, ban the use of no-knock warrants and chokeholds by SAPD, appoint a city justice director position to oversee city criminal justice policy, and establish language for an official “justice policy” of San Antonio.
San Antonio City Attorney Andy Segovia said the only enforceable pieces of Prop A are the appointment of a justice director and implementation of the justice policy language. He said the rest of the policies cannot and will not be enforced if passed by voters because they violate state law — mostly because of language that does not allow for officer discretion in arrest and enforcement decisions. Advocates have disputed Segovia’s assessment and have floated a potential lawsuit if the city refuses to enforce the policies if it is passed.
The city council voted 8-0 on Feb. 16 to place it on the ballot (three council members walked out of the chambers during the vote to be marked as absent — Perry, Pelaez, and Courage) The council was obligated to place the issue on the ballot due to Ground Game Texas and Act4SA receiving 20,000 required signatures to put the issue before voters in an attempt to amend the city charter.
SAN ANTONIO
Mayor
- Ray Adam Basaldua
- Armando Dominguez
- Christopher T. Schuchardt
- Michael Idrogo
- Christopher Longoria
- Gary Allen
- Ron Nirenberg
- Michael Samaniego
- Armando Dominguez
- Diana Flores Uriegas
- Michael Idrogo
Summary
Mayor Ron Nirenberg is seeking a fourth term in office. Nirenberg has won some close races in previous years but he does not face a strong challenge from the 10 candidates on the ballot. If Nirenberg wins, it will be his last term in office due to term limits.
City council
District 1
Downtown and near Northside
- Jeremy Roberts
- Lauro Bustamante
- Roberto Rios Ortega
- Mario Bravo
- Sukh Kaur
- Kaitlyn Fulk
- Ernest Salinas
- William T. Lamar-Boone
- James Matthew Duerr
Summary
Embattled incumbent Mario Bravo has, for the most part, garnered a negative public perception following his outburst against District 7 Councilwoman Ana Sandoval and censure from the city council. Bravo faces nine candidates. They include Jeremy Roberts, a corporate marketing executive and entrepreneur.
Bravo is seeking a second term after unseating Roberto Trevino in 2021 in a narrow run-off victory. The District 1 race has nine candidates, which is often not seen until there is an open seat. But it's not uncommon for first term incumbents to attract a number of challengers after their first term.
Sukh Kaur is a board member of Texas Public Radio. She told TPR she will not leave her board position to run for the City Council.
District 2
Eastside and parts of the Northeast
- Rose Requenez Hill
- Denise McVea
- Edward Earl Giles
- James M. Guild
- Patrick Jones
- Michael John Good
- Carla Walker
- Wendell Carson
- Jalen McKee-Rodriguez
- Denise Gutierrez
Summary
A crowded race in an East Side district that is prone to turnover. Incumbent Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, an educator and the first openly gay Black man to hold elected office in Texas, faces nine challengers for the council seat he won in 2021.
District 2 has not had a council person serve more than one full term since 2014 when Ivy Taylor was elevated to mayor after Julian Castro became secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama administration. Previously, Taylor had served nearly three terms when elected in 2009.
However, over the last decade, District 2 had seven different council members that have served after general election, temporary appointments or special elections due to resignations or been unseated.
McKee-Rodriguez won in 2021 after a crowded May election with 12 candidates and wide victory in a June runoff against his former boss, Jada Andrews Sullivan.
The district again faces a packed race with 10 candidates — one of larger contests on the ballot in 2023.
District 3
South Side
- Jayden Muñoz
- Phyllis Viagran
- Erin Gallegos Reid
- Larry La Rose
Summary
Three people are challenging District 3 Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran in San Antonio's largest city council district. Viagran is running for her second term in office after winning the seat vacated by her sister, Rebecca Viagran, in 2021 due to term limits. Hoping to unseat Phyllis Viagran to represent the Southside district are Erin Gallegos Reid, Larry La Rose and Jayden Muñoz.
District 4
Southwest Side
- Adriana Rocha Garcia
- Gregorio De La Paz
Summary
A cloud will hang over the race to represent District 4. The election is the same week the district’s 40-year old hospital, Texas Vista Medical Center, is set to close, exacerbating what many call a public health crisis in the medically underserved area. The incumbent in District 4, Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia, is calling for greater health care access on the South Side. Her opponent in the race is Gregorio De La Paz, who works in construction management.
District 5
Inner Westside
- Arturo Espinosa
- Teri Castillo
- Rudy Lopez
Summary
Councilwoman Teri Castillo seeks a second term representing the West Side district. Castillo is known for championing progressive policies on the council with a background in local organizing.
Castillo faces two opponents. She defeated Rudy Lopez in a runoff two years ago. Lopez is a former civilian employee with the San Antonio Police Department. She also faces Arturo Espinosa.
District 6
Far West Side
- Irina Rudolph
- Melissa Cabello Havrda
- Chris Baecker
Summary
Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda is seeking a second term to represent the Far West Side district. The attorney owns her own practice and has worked for the city in a number of capacities over the past 20 years. Cabello Havrda faces two opponents that she defeated in 2021 — small business owner Irina Rudolph and Chris Baecker, an accountant who also teaches economics.
District 7
Northwest Side along Bandera Road
- Sandragrace Martinez
- Jacob B. Chapa
- Dan Rossiter
- Marina Alderete Gavito
- Andrew "AJ" Luck
Summary
When District 7 Councilwoman Ana Sandoval resigned in January, it created an unexpected open seat. There are five candidates, and there would have likely been more if candidates had more time to prepare and fundraise.
Marina Alderete Gavito comes from the politically powerful Aldarete family and is the daughter of former Councilman Joe Aladrete. She is the executive director of SA Digital Connects.
Dan Rossiter is a former a program manager at Southwest Research Institute. He quit his job to run for the seat. He has previously served on Brooks Development Authority Board and on one of the city’s 2022 bond committees.
Sandragrace Martinez is a licensed professional counselor with a masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from St. Mary's University, according to her campaign biography.
Andrew "AJ" Luck is a Navy veteran with a law degree and Masters in Public Administration, also from St. Mary's University.
Jacob B. Chapa listed his profession as a legal assistant on his city council filing documents.
District 8
Northwest Side
- Manny Pelaez
- Cesario Garcia
Summary
Councilman Manny Peláez is seeking a fourth term representing the city’s Northwest side. Peláez is an attorney who has represented a wide range of clients in San Antonio, from homeowners associations to Toyota Manufacturing. He faces Cesario Garcia, the owner of a video production company.
District 9
Northside above Loop 410
- Jarrett Lipman
- David Allan Lara
- John Courage
- Dominique Liu
Summary
District 9 Councilman John Courage seeks a fourth term in the conservative North Side district. The 71-year-old is a former teacher and military veteran and one of the more moderate voices on the council. He faces three opponents — Dominique Liu (CEO of Dominion Strategies), Jarett Lipman (a former band director at Johnson High School), and David Allan Lara (works in facility management and building operations at the Bexar County Courthouse and Justice Center).
District 10
Northeast Side outside Loop 410
- Madison Gutierrez
- Bryan R. Martin
- Robert Flores
- Marc Whyte
- Margaret Sherwood
- Joel Solis
- Rick Otley
Summary
District 10 is an extremely competitive race. It is one of two districts without an incumbent running and the only district that has consistently kept a conservative on the city’s left leaning council over the past decade.
The race became competitive after Councilman Clayton Perry was arrested on a driving while intoxicated charge in connection with a hit-and-run collision that occurred on Nov. 6. While Perry fights the charges, the race to replace him now includes seven contenders.
The frontrunner is attorney Marc Whyte. He has the endorsement of Perry and of several past D10 council members. The St. Mary’s Law grad has served on the city’s Historic Design and Review Commission for the past few years.
Other candidates include Richard Otley Jr. (an NEISD school teacher), Joel Solis (a retiree), Madison Gutierrez (a social media advertiser), Margaret Sherwood (a property manager) and Robert Flores, who described himself as an administrator.
EDUCATION
Bonds
- Alamo Heights ISD (three propositions worth a combined $371 million)
- Comal ISD (two propositions worth a combined $634.7 million)
- Medina Valley ISD (one proposition worth a combined $371 million)
- Southwest ISD (two propositions worth a combined $250 million)
- La Vernia ISD (two propositions worth a combined $109 million)
Trustee elections
- Northside ISD (two open seats, two seats with incumbents and challengers)
- San Antonio ISD (one open seat, two seats with incumbents and challengers)
- Judson ISD (two seats with incumbents and challengers)
- Southwest ISD (two incumbents for two at-large seats with four challengers)
- Harlandale ISD (two incumbents, three challengers for three seats)
- Medina Valley ISD (one open seat, two at-large seats with one incumbent)
- Comal ISD (only for Comal County voters)
Canceled trustee elections
Summary
Seven school districts located primarily or partially in Bexar County are holding school board elections in May. Five school districts in the San Antonio area are also asking voters to approve bonds. Three more local school districts canceled trustee elections because their candidates are unopposed. Most Bexar County school districts included their elections in the joint ballot available at any county polling station. However, Southwest ISD’s measures are on a separate ballot with separate polling stations. La Vernia ISD is located in neighboring Wilson County. The polling station for the district’s bond election is La Vernia Church of Christ.
WHAT'S NEXT
If runoff elections are necessary, they will be held on Saturday, June 3.
