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Where, when and how to vote in the Nov. 5, 2024, election in San Antonio

Voters will decide between Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump, among several other political contests.

Voters throughout Texas will decide on U.S. House and Senate seats and several state legislative seats, along with railroad commissioner, and the state's board of education.

In San Antonio and throughout Bexar County, voters will decide on sheriff, tax assessor-collector, county commissioners, and several proposed city charter amendments, among other races.


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Click on the links below to dive deeper into the guide.

President | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Education | The Courts
Bexar County | Texas Legislature | Charter amendments | Railroad commissioner


WHEN

  • Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 5., from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

WHERE
Review a list of Election day polling locations on map below.

VOTING BY MAIL
Information and directions on voting by mail are available here.


WHAT TO BRING
A valid ID. The Texas secretary of state said acceptable forms of ID include:

  • Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
  • Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
  • Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS
  • Texas Handgun License issued by DPS
  • United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph
  • United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph
  • United States Passport (book or card)

If you don’t have a valid photo ID, here are other options.

Anyone wearing Harris or Trump shirts will be asked by an election site judge to step into a restroom to turn t-shirts inside out. Election judges will also cover t-shirts with jackets they have handy or even tape a sample ballot over campaign names or logos.

VOTING WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

A person of your choice or an election worker can assist you at the polls but the person cannot be your employer or someone who represents your employer, or an officer or representative of your union.

If you're physically unable to enter the polling location, you can vote curbside. Send someone into the polling location to request an election worker who will meet you at the curb. If you're planning on arriving alone, call ahead to your county's elections office.

Voting is one of the most important human rights, but many people who live with disabilities could feel excluded from the process.


VOTING CONCERNS

If any voter feels concerned about their experience or other issues at polling places, they may share those concerns with the Texas Civil Rights Project (TCRP) or the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Veronikah Warms, a staff attorney for the voting rights program TCRP, said, “We are interested in that every single Texan can cast a ballot that counts. To do that we are part on an election protection coalition. We are a group of non-partisan attorneys that are available to help Texans with any and all of their voting questions or if they see anything concerning at the polls.”

TCRP has set up an election protection hotline — 866-OUR VOTE.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Devlin leads a team of federal officials and FBI agents in San Antonio that will monitor for voting rights concerns and for reports of threats and election fraud. Visit civilrights.justice.gov for information or federal assistance.


TRANSPORTATION

VIA Transit: VIA Metropolitan Transit offers fare-free trips for voters on Election Day. The VIA website explained that customers just have to present a valid voter registration card to the bus or van operator on Election Day. The service applies to bus service, VIA Link, and VIAtrans paratransit service. Registered VIAtrans customers may schedule their trips by phone or online. More information and rules were available on the VIA website.

Uber: Uber is offering discounted rides to polls on Election Day. The app will have a “Go Vote” button on the home screen. This will give riders the option to choose a polling location for a discounted price of 50% off rides. The promotion is a one-time deal. It will begin starting at 4 a.m. on Nov. 5 and expires at 11:59 p.m.


WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT?

View sample ballot here or open the window below.

(R) = Republican
(D) = Democrat
(L) = Libertarian Party
(G) = Green Party


U.S. President

Donald Trump (R), Kamala Harris (D).

  • Donald J. Trump / JD Vance (R)
  • Kamala D. Harris / Tim Walz (D)
  • Chase Oliver / Mike Ter Maat (L)
  • Jill Stein / Rudolph Ware (G)

Analysis: Cook Political Report rated Texas and its 40 electoral college votes as "likely Republican" in the presidential race.

The latest survey by the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs explained that former president Donald Trump holds a 5% lead over Vice President Kamala Harris among likely Texas voters.

In May, Trump became the first former president in U.S. history to be convicted of a felony when a jury in Manhattan found him guilty on 34 counts. Four separate indictments were issued against Trump between March and August 2023. Since then, Trump has won a string of victories in the three other cases against him and his popularity in Texas has not fluctuated.

The online survey of about 1,300 likely voters reported that most Texans were unlikely to change their minds — 97% of Trump supporters and 96% of Harris supporters said they were certain about their choice. The survey's margin of error was 2.7%.

"Barring an implosion at the national level, there’s nothing that’s going to cause Donald Trump to lose in Texas," said Mark P. Jones, political science fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy and a senior research fellow for UH's Hobby School.

The survey also showed sharp divides along racial, gender and age lines. Among white voters, Trump held a 22% lead, while Harris led Trump by 70% among likely Black voters.

The candidates were neck-and-neck when it came to Latino voters, with Trump leading by 1 percentage point.

Trump leads among white voters and men, while Harris excels with Black voters and women, as both camps show strong commitment to their choices.

Men favored Trump by 15%, while women preferred Harris by 5%. White men were Trump's strongest base of support in Texas with a 33 point lead, while Black women were Harris' strongest group of support with a 78 point lead.

Voters were also split by age groups — 61% of Baby Boomers supported Trump, with 61% of Gen Z'ers favoring Harris.

Harris voters' top issues include "the future of U.S. democracy," as well as the economy, health care and abortion. Trump voters pointed to immigration and border security as their top issues, followed by the economy, crime and foreign policy.

Jill Stein, a physician from Chicago, is running again as the Green Party's candidate. She ran for president under the Green Party ticket in 2012 and 2016.

Chase Oliver, a political activist from Atlanta, represents the Libertarian Party. Oliver ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House and Senate in 2020 and 2022 respectively.

Read more from Houston Public Media.


U.S. SENATE

  • Ted Cruz (R)
  • Colin Allred (D)
  • Ted Brown (L)

Analysis: Most polls show Cruz with a slight lead over Allred, though the margins depend on the survey. Results of a Florida Atlantic University survey published last week showed Cruz up three points, while a Marist poll released two days later had Cruz up by five. Those results came after a late September poll that showed Allred up by one percentage point.

Cruz seeks his third term as the state’s junior senator from Texas, a title he’s held since riding a Tea Party wave into Washington in 2012. The single-digit edge Cruz currently holds should be familiar to the incumbent after he narrowly defeated El Paso Democrat Beto O’Rourke in 2018.

Allred was first elected to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 32nd Congressional District, which includes part of Dallas, in 2018. He’s a former Baylor football standout and played five seasons in the National Football League.

Cruz and Allred are both attorneys by trade, with Cruz’s resume including his stint with the former Texas solicitor general while Allred is a civil rights attorney who also served in the office of the general counsel for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Allred has eschewed embracing some of the progressive policies championed by his far-left colleagues while on the campaign trail, instead choosing to run a more center-focused mission targeting what he deems are Cruz’s weaknesses or extremism.

Allred was one of only three Texas Democrats to favor a resolution introduced in the U.S. House that officially condemned the Biden administration’s border policies, and he hasn’t made his support for Vice President Kamala Harris a centerpiece of his campaign.

Allred has also outraised Cruz on the money trail, hauling in more than $30 million to Cruz’s $21 million during that most recent fundraising cycle.

Cruz and his camp have continued to embrace tactics of national Republicans — amplifying Democrats’ perceived support of certain wedge issues. A quick review of Cruz’s social media posts or retweets showed that they ranged from calling Allred out on transgender issues to “rubber stamping” Democratic policies.

On occasion, Cruz has also chosen the lowbrow approach, such as recently sharing a post from the satirical "Babylon Bee" that showed a white family donning traditional Mexican sombreros and thick mustaches to pose as immigrants to gain free access to hotels in New York City.

Allred has used his online profile to knock Cruz for supporting a near-total abortion ban. State and national Democrats are betting the issue of reproductive health proves the albatross for Republicans as polling shows extreme laws on abortion aren’t widely supported. Allred is also coming at Cruz on Social Security, charging that Cruz has called it a “Ponzi scheme” and that the senator favors raising the retirement age.

The campaign has seen both men significantly pad their war chests, despite Allred edging out Cruz in the latest fundraising period. To date, the two campaigns have raised about $132 million, the Texas Tribune reported. That makes the race one of the most expensive in the United States.

Ted Brown, an insurance adjuster from Wells Branch, is running on the Libertarian Party ticket.

Read more from The Texas Newsroom.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has been a loud anti-abortion crusader throughout his political career.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who is facing off against Allred in his reelection campaign, has worked to tie Allred to Harris’ political record.

U.S. HOUSE

District 15

Monica De La Cruz (R), Michelle Vallejo (D).

  • Monica De La Cruz (R)
  • Michelle Vallejo (D)

Analysis: Incumbent Republican Monica De La Cruz faced Democratic challenger Michelle Vallejo in a rematch of their 2022 race, when De La Cruz flipped a longtime Democratic stronghold with 53.3% of the vote to Vallejo’s 44.8%.

Texas’ 15th Congressional District, which stretches from parts of the Rio Grande Valley to east of San Antonio, continues to be a key battleground in 2024.

Both candidates have shifted on some policy positions to appeal to a broader share of voters.

De La Cruz initially ran on a strong anti-abortion platform, pledging to “fight for each and every soul and always support the sanctity of life.” However, she has since softened her stance, now advocating for a “balanced and compassionate approach” to abortion.

De La Cruz also said in a recent public statement that abortion policies should be decided by individual states, rather than at the federal level.

Vallejo, meanwhile, has adopted a tougher stance on border security, saying in a recent television ad that she will work to “add thousands of new border patrol agents, and take on the cartels.”

However, Vallejo’s 2024 platform also calls for “an earned pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who have worked hard and contributed to their communities.”

De La Cruz is focusing on issues that affect farmers and the agricultural industry in the district, including access to dwindling water supplies and eliminating industry regulations.

De la Cruz also continues to call for a reinstatement of Trump-era border security policies, and a larger financial investment in border security infrastructure.

Vallejo is prioritizing access to health care and protecting Social Security and Medicare. She is also calling for a raise to the minimum wage, protection of reproductive rights, and an energy approach that “keeps people working in oil and gas while investing significantly in clean and renewable energy.”

District 20

Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX) speaks during a press conference with House Democrats about ongoing negotiations on immigration and the border, at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, January 18, 2024. (Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA)No Use Germany.
Sipa USA/Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via Reuter
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Joaquin Castro (D).

  • Joaquin Castro (D)

Analysis: The six-term incumbent Joaquin Castro is running unopposed. Texas' 20th Congressional District, which includes the western half of San Antonio and Bexar County, has never sent a Republican to Congress.

District 21

Chip Roy (R), Kristin Hook (D).

  • Chip Roy (R)
  • Kristin Hook (D)
  • Bob King (L)

Analysis: Chip Roy seeks a fourth term representing the 21st Congressional District, which covers a wide swath of the Hill Country from Austin to San Antonio. The district became solidly red after recent redistricting.

The former Ted Cruz staffer from Austin is known for as conservative firebrand. He is a member of the House Freedom Caucus.

Roy faces a challenge from Democrat Kristin Hook. She is a scientist who most recently worked for the U.S. Government Accountability Office. She is also a former middle school teacher and activist.

Bob King, the Libertarian party candidate, is a retired banker and oil executive who lives in New Braunfels. King, 63, is retired from a career as a banker and oil and gas executive.

Kristin Hook is the Democratic Party candidate for Texas Congressional District 21

District 23

Ton Gonzales (R), Santos Limon (D).

  • Tony Gonzales (R)
  • S. Limon (D)

Analysis: District 23 is massive and stretches from San Antonio to just east of El Paso. It covers the longest stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border of any district, and it includes both Eagle Pass and Uvalde.

The district has changed hands between Republicans and Democrats over the last decade, with Republicans holding an edge in recent years.

Tony Gonzales seeks a third term following a censure from the Republican Party of Texas in March 2023, which claimed that his votes in support of same-sex marriage and in favor of additional firearms restrictions violated the party’s principles.

The resolution also said his lack of support for a bill that would have placed additional limits on individuals in the country without legal permission violated party principles.

Although the censure freed the state Republican Party to take sides in the primary, the National Republican Congressional Committee continued to support Gonzales.

After surviving a contentious primary challenge, Gonzales faces civil engineer Santos Limon.

District 28

Jay Furman (R), Henry Cuellar (D).

  • Jay Furman (R)
  • Henry Cuellar (D)

Analysis: Longtime Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar has served in the 28th Congressional District since 2005. He is at his most vulnerable because of serious legal problems.

He and his wife were indicted earlier in May on federal charges of money laundering, bribery, and conspiracy. The couple denied the allegations. Their next court date is in July, and the trial is scheduled to begin in late March 2025.

Cuellar, who is on leave as ranking member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, said his top priorities are infrastructure funding, border security and trade.

He faces a challenge from Jay Furman, a veteran. Furman has campaigned on restricting migration at the Southwest border and expanding local infrastructure in support of international trade.

The 28th Congressional District runs from the eastern outskirts of San Antonio down to the U.S. Mexico border. Cook Political Report rates this district as "likely Democrat."

Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar is under indictment for more than a dozen counts, including bribery and corruption — but voters in his home state say they still back the embattled Democrat.

District 35

Steven Wright (R), Greg Casar (D).

  • Steven Wright (R)
  • Greg Casar (D)

Analysis: The incumbent Greg Casar, a former Austin councilman, seeks his second term in Congress. Texas 35th Congressional District, which spans from San Antonio to Austin along I-35, is heavily Democratic.

On the Republican side, five candidates are vying to challenge Casar. He faces a challenge from Republican Steven Wright, a retired Kern County, California, deputy sheriff.


RAILROAD COMMISSIONER

  • Christi Craddick (R)
  • Katherine Culbert (D)
  • Hawk Dunlap (L)
  • Eddie Espinoza (G)
These state regulators sit on one of the most important agencies to oversee energy and – by extension – climate policy in the world.

Analysis: The incumbent RCC Chairman Christi Craddick is running for reelection. The title means she oversees the three-member commission meetings. Since Railroad Commission races are staggered, fellow commissioners have usually conferred the position of chair to whomever is next running for reelection to help them burnish their credentials on the campaign trail.

Craddick, like every other statewide elected official, is a Republican. Her challengers include Democratic candidate Katherine Culbert, an oil and gas process safety engineer, Libertarian Hawk Dunlap, an oil well control specialist, and Green Party candidate Eddie Espinoza, a retired school teacher.

The three challengers seeking to unseat Railroad Commission Chair Christi Craddick focus on different issues, but share a common critique of the state's oil and gas regulator.

BOARD OF EDUCATION

District 1

  • Michael (Travis) Stevens (R)
  • Gustavo Reveles (D)

Analysis: The 15-member State Board of Education is responsible for approving curriculum guidelines and instructional materials for Texas public schools. District 1 stretches from El Paso to a portion of Bexar County on the North and West Sides. Democrat Melissa Ortega of El Paso currently represents the district. She was first elected in 2022 and did not run for re-election.

Republican Michael (Travis) Stevens and Democrat Gustavo Reveles both ran unopposed in their primaries. Stevens is a San Antonio educator who unsuccessfully ran for District 1 in 2022. Reveles is the spokesman for an El Paso school district and a former reporter.

District 3

  • Marisa Perez-Diaz (D)

Analysis: Democrat Marisa Pérez-Díaz is running unopposed in her bid for a fifth term representing District 3 on the State Board of Education. During her 12 years on the board, Pérez-Díaz played a pivotal role in the approval of Mexican American Studies courses.

District 3 includes most of Bexar County and several other interior South Texas counties stretching down to Starr County along the U.S. Mexico border.


TEXAS SENATE

District 25

  • Donna Campbell (R)
  • Merrie Fox (D)

Analysis: Republican Donna Campbell seeks a fourth term representing State Senate District 25, which stretches from San Antonio to New Braunfels and Boerne through the Hill Country.

Campbell, an emergency room physician and ophthalmologist, faces a challenge from Democrat Merrie Fox. Fox is the executive director of Circle Arts Theatre in New Braunfels. She also worked as a public school teacher and principal for more than 30 years.


TEXAS HOUSE

Democrats — riding a wave of enthusiasm sparked by Kamala Harris’ nomination — think they can flip just enough House seats to stop Republicans from passing school vouchers.

District 80

  • Don Mclaughlin (R)
  • Cecilia Castellano (D)

Analysis: Texas House District 80 is a rural South Texas district, running through Pleasanton, Pearsall, Uvalde and parts of Laredo.

The seat opened up after longtime Rep. Tracy King, who represented the district since 1994, announced he would not seek re-election.

Considered one of the most competitive districts in the state, Democrat Cecilia Castellano and Republican Don McLaughlin are running to replace the conservative Democrat.

McLaughlin gained attention after serving as the Uvalde mayor in the wake of the Robb Elementary School shooting that claimed the lives of 19 students and two teachers. He stepped down as mayor to run for the seat. Supported by former president Donald Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott, his priorities are economic growth, border security and strengthening law enforcement. McLaughlin thanked Trump and Abbott for their support.

Castellano said she will “reject vouchers that undermine public education,” and fight to increase teacher pay. She was in the news recently after her home was raided during Attorney General Ken Paxton’s string of home raids of Democratic candidates and Latino activists searching for voter fraud. She was one of several other South Texas Democrats whose homes were raided. She has called for a federal investigation into the raids along with the leadership of LULAC.

TPR's The Source is producing a series of candidate interviews for the 2024 election season. Today we hear from Democrat Cecilia Castellano who is running for HD 80. Former Uvalde Mayor Don Mclaughlin is the Republican in the race. TPR's "The Source" has invited McLaughlin to come on air and we are working on setting a date for that discussion.

District 116

  • Darryl W Crain (R)
  • Trey Martinez Fischer (D)

Trey Martinez Fischer seeks a fourth consecutive term representing Texas House District 116, the reliably blue district that spans from downtown San Antonio to the North West Side. He previously served in the seat from 2001 to 2017.

Martinez Fisher is the leader of the House Democratic Caucus.

He faces a Republican challenge from San Antonio minister Darryl W. Crain.

District 117

  • Ben Mostyn (R)
  • Philip Cortez (D)

Analysis: Philip Cortez seeks his fifth consecutive term representing Texas House District 117, another reliably blue district that covers South and West San Antonio.

The Air Force veteran and former San Antonio City Council member faces Republican Ben Mostyn, an Army veteran and San Antonio real estate agent.

District 118

  • John Lujan III (R)
  • Kristian Carranza (D)

Analysis: In the Texas House District 118 race, voters will decide between incumbent Republican John Lujan and Democratic challenger Kristian Carranza.

House District 118 spreads across the South and East Sides of Bexar County. It includes San Antonio, Universal City, Elmendorf, Somerset, and other communities. The district had been a stronghold for Democrats until 2016, when a special election saw Republicans gain some footing.

In 2016, Lujan won the seat during a special election but lost in 2018 midterm elections. He ran again in 2021 in another special election for the same district and then earned a subsequent victory in the 2022 midterms.

Lujan is a previous Bexar County Sheriff’s deputy and a former San Antonio firefighter. He now owns a small IT firm.

Kristian Carranza is currently a community organizer. In the past, she has served as regional director with the Democratic National Committee and has served as a field or regional director with various campaigns including Gina Ortiz Jones for Congress as well as Hillary Clinton and Julian Castro during their presidential runs.

In her LinkedIn profile, Carranza said she has spent her career working to elect women to office.

Both candidates have come under fire recently. Lujan said on TPR that he would force a hypothetical daughter to give birth if she became pregnant through an instance of rape. Carranza was accused by the Bexar GOP of using her mother’s Latino last name as a way to curry favor with voters. Carranza had changed her last name from Thompson in 2023.

Listen to both candidates during a recent episode of TPR’s "The Source" from Sept. 26.

District 118 candidates incumbent Republican Rep. John Lujan and Democratic challenger Kristian Carranza take your calls and talk about their vision for the future of Texas, including the issues of school vouchers, expanding health care and border security.

District 119

  • Brandon J. Grable (R)
  • Elizabeth "Liz" Campos (D)

Analysis: Elizabeth "Liz" Campos seeks a third term representing Texas House District 119, a reliably blue district that covers parts of Southern and Eastern San Antonio. Campos faces a challenge from Army veteran and attorney Brandon J. Grable.

District 120

  • Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D)

Analysis: Democrat Barbara Gervin-Hawkins is running unopposed for a fifth term representing Texas House District 120. The educator and construction company owner served in this seat since 2016, which includes parts of San Antonio and Converse and encompasses Windcrest and Kirby.

District 121

  • Marc Lahood (R)
  • Laurel Jordan Swift (D)

Analysis

Texas HD 121 is one of the few competitive races for the Texas House of Representatives this election. Although the district has long been held by Republicans, including former Speaker of the House Joe Strauss, Republicans have won by slimmer margins over the last decade.

Even though redistricting made the seat slightly more reliably Republican in 2022, State Representative Steve Allison still only won re-election by a 10-point margin two years ago, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

Texas Democrats see an opportunity to flip the seat blue after Allison lost the Republican primary in March. Allison was one of 21 Republican state representatives who voted to block school vouchers last year, which made him a target by Gov. Greg Abbott and pro-voucher groups.

Abbott endorsed 15 challengers in the GOP primaries in a bid to gain the votes he needs to create a voucher-like program that would give families public tax dollars to pay for private school or home school. Eleven of those challengers won their primary, including LaHood in HD 121.

By the governor’s count, the primaries give him a narrow pro-voucher Republican majority, assuming all districts currently held by Republicans stick with the GOP in the general election. Democrats would need to flip three seats in order to block vouchers in the next legislative session. House District 118 is another competitive race in the San Antonio area that Democrats are hoping to flip.

Current HD 121 State Rep. Steve Allison recently said he is supporting Laurel Jordan Swift this election, although he still considers himself a Republican.

State Representative Steve Allison lost in the Republican Primary to Marc LaHood, making the Alamo Heights area House District up for grabs. Laurel Jordan Swift is the Democrat in the race for District 121 that watchers say could be flipped blue on November 5th.

Swift is a political newcomer who told TPR’s "The Source" that she voted Republican until 2016. “I was raising five kids and working full time, and wasn't paying super close attention, and everything seemed fine until about that time,” Swift added. “I started really investigating the issues, and I realized that I really didn't agree with Republicans as much as I agreed with Democrats. I'm very moderate. I'm in the middle.”

Swift said she is running in part to repeal the state’s strict abortion law. “I don't think people, even moderate Republicans, realized when that abortion ban took effect, how it would so negatively affect all women and all people,” she explained to The Source." “Even when folks really want their babies, they're not allowed to get real health care when they're having a miscarriage.”

Swift said she believed abortion will be enough for some Republicans to change their vote. “It's a deal breaker for a lot of people. But then when you pile on vouchers and underfunding public education, [it is a deal breaker],” she said. “And there's a lot of other things that you can add to that, that people are finally starting to be fed up with.”

Swift is against school vouchers and believes Texas public schools need more funding.

Marc LaHood is the Republican Party candidate for Texas House District 121 which had been represented by Steve Allison. The Democrat in the race is Laurel Jordan Swift.

Republican Marc LaHood made an unsuccessful bid for Bexar County district attorney in 2022. His brother Nico LaHood was Bexar County district attorney from 2014 to 2018.

After he won the Republican primary in March, LaHood said he was confident he could win the general election, despite people telling him he was too conservative for the district.

When "The Source" asked LaHood if he would consider altering the abortion law to protect women in a medical emergency, LaHood said it was first important to decide what is life. “How do we balance out the duty of the government to make sure that we're providing adequate care to our moms but we're still following the law?” he explained. He identifies as pro-life.

LaHood was endorsed by Abbott because of his support for vouchers. When asked about the cost of vouchers limiting funding for public schools, LaHood suggested that perhaps public schools already had more money than they need.

When a caller asked about vouchers being insufficient to cover the tuition of many private schools and the impact on public schools, LaHood said he thought public schools would be all right because the voucher would be less than the full cost of each student — a calculation that didn’t entirely make sense and that doesn’t take into account that many families using vouchers in other states had previously never sent their children to public school.

“Going to like a pure business model, the schools aren't being bankrupted if a child or if a parent chooses to relocate their child to a different school system or homeschool because they're still receiving $7,500 or more,” LaHood said, claiming that schools in his district have at least $15,000 per student. Texas districts on average have about $10,000 per student.

Texas House District 121 in north and central San Antonio is one of the few competitive races for the Texas House of Representatives this election. Here's what's at stake and where the candidates stand.

District 122

  • Mark Dorazio (R)
  • Kevin Geary (D)

Analysis: Mark Dorazio seeks a second term representing Northwest San Antonio. The former chair of the Bexar County Republican Party faces a challenge from Democrat Kevin Geary, who is an attorney with USAA.

District 123

  • Diego Bernal (D)

Analysis: Diego Bernal is running unopposed. Bernal has represented the district that covers downtown to parts of the North Side since he won a special election in 2015.

District 124

  • Sylvia Soto (R)
  • Josey Garcia (D)

Analysis: Josey Garcia, an Air Force veteran and police reform activist, seeks a second term to represent the reliably blue West Side district. Garcia faces a challenge from Republican Sylvia Soto, who is an NEISD math and science teacher.

District 125

  • Ray Lopez (D)

Analysis: Ray Lopez is running unopposed for fourth term representing the district on the Northwest Side, including Leon Valley. He is a former communications executive for AT&T and previously served as District 6 councilman.


THE COURTS

The Texas Supreme Court

Analysis: Three incumbents on the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court face a challenge from Democrats, who see their challenge as a vehicle to challenge the state's abortion ban.

Three Republican incumbents are being targeted for their role in recent abortion rulings by a new Democratic political action committee.

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 2

  • Jimmy Blacklock (R)
  • Dasean Jones (D)

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 4

  • John Devine (R)
  • Christine Vinh Weems (D)

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 6

  • Jane Bland (R)
  • Bonnie Lee Goldstein (D)
  • J. David Roberson

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Analysis: Texas has two high courts. The Supreme Court handles civil cases, and the Criminal Court of Appeals handles criminal cases.

All nine seats are held by Republicans but there are three open races because three GOP incumbents lost their primaries after being targeted by Attorney General Ken Paxton over a ruling that his office must get permission from county prosecutors to go after alleged cases of voter fraud.

Three of the five judges who allowed Robert Roberson’s execution to proceed will be leaving the court after Paxton-backed primary challenges.

Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals

  • David J. Schenck (R)
  • Holly Taylor (D)

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 7

  • Gina Parker (R)
  • Nancy Mulder (D)

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8

  • Lee Finley (R)
  • Chika Anyiam (D)

Fourth Court of Appeals

Analysis: The Fourth Court of Appeals in San Antonio has intermediate appellate jurisdiction of both civil and criminal cases appealed from lower courts in 32 counties in South and Central Texas.

Democrats hold six of the seven seats, with three seats being challenged by Republicans.

Justice, 4th Court of Appeals District, Place 2

  • Velia J. Meza (D)

Justice, 4th Court of Appeals District, Place 3

  • Todd McCray (R)
  • Cynthia Marie Chapa (D)

Justice, 4th Court of Appeals District, Place 4

  • Lori Massey Brissette (R)
  • Luz Elena Chapa (D)

Justice, 4th Court of Appeals District, Place 5

  • Adrian Spears (R)
  • Liza A. Rodriguez (D)

Justice, 4th Court of Appeals District, Place 7

  • Lori I. Valenzuela (R)

Bexar County District Courts:

Analysis: Bexar County's district court judge seats are all held by Democrats. The candidates on the ballot are all running unopposed.

District Judge, 37th Judicial District

  • Nicole Garza (D)

District Judge, 57th Judicial District

  • Antonia "Toni" Arteaga (D)

District Judge, 73rd Judicial District

  • Elizabeth Martinez (D)

District Judge, 131st Judicial District

  • Norma Gonzales (D)

District Judge, 166th Judicial District

  • Laura Salinas (D)

District Judge, 175th Judicial District

  • Catherine Torres-Stahl (D)

District Judge, 379th Judicial District

  • Ron Rangel (D)

District Judge, 386th Judicial District

  • Jacqueline "Jackie" Valdes (D)

District Judge, 399th Judicial District

  • Frank J. Castro (D)

District Judge, 407th Judicial District

  • Tina Torres (D)

District Judge, 408th Judicial District

  • Angelica Jimenez (D)

District Judge, 438th Judicial District

  • Rosie Alvarado (D)

BEXAR COUNTY

Probate Court No. 3

  • Barbie Scharf-Zeldes (D)

Analysis: Barbie Scharf-Zeldes has served in the newly created role for the past year after being selected by the Bexar County Commissioners Court. She previously served as associate judge of Probate No. 1.

Sheriff

  • Nathan Buchanan (R)
  • Javier Salazar (D)

Analysis: Democratic Sheriff Javier Salazar seeks re-election against Republican challenger Nathan Buchanan on Nov. 5.

Salazar was first sworn into office on Jan. 1, 2017, as the 34th sheriff of Bexar County. He served with the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) for 23 years.

Salazar took to the national stage during the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. On the third night of the convention, he defended Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris against critics who complained she hasn’t done enough to secure the southern border. Salazar was criticized for delivering his speech and for injecting divisive national politics into local politics.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar is seeking reelection. Salazar took heat when he went on stage during the Democratic National Convention and blasted Donald Trump for weakening border security.

As sheriff, Salazar created several units including Adult Detention Mental Health, Contraband Abatement Team, and the Applicant Processing Unit. He also created the Public Integrity Unit, Mounted Patrol, and Special Victims Unit, as well as the Sheriff’s Community Oriented Response and Education (SCORE) Unit.

Nathan Buchanan is the Republican candidate for Bexar County sheriff and is challenging Democrat incumbent Sheriff Javier Salazar.

Since 2008, Buchanan has served as a Texas peace officer. Buchanan has previously run for Bexar County judge in 2022 and constable in 2016 and 2020.

Buchanan is a supporter of the Texas Secession movement and has signed the Texas First pledge.

Buchanan said that as sheriff he would support letting Texans vote for secession, according to Texas Nationalist Movement President Daniel Miller.

Buchanan has trumpeted his endorsement by former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who called himself as "America's Toughest Sheriff." He was a supporter of Arizona's SB1070 anti-illegal immigrant law, which was largely struck down by the Supreme Court of the United States. The U.S. Department of Justice found that Arpaio oversaw the worst pattern of racial profiling in U.S. history.

County Tax Assessor-Collector

  • Albert Uresti (D)

Analysis: Albert Uresti has served as Bexar County’s tax assessor-collector for the past 12 years. Prior to that, he was city manager for several small cities in the region. He is running unopposed.

County Commissioner, Precinct No. 1

  • Lina Prado (R)
  • Rebeca Clay-Flores (D)

Analysis: Rebeca Clay-Flores seeks a second term representing Precinct 1 on the Bexar County Commissioners Court. She was elected in 2020. Prior to that, she served as a special projects manager for the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District.

She faces Lina Prado, who is a senior supply chain manager at Boeing. She also serves on the city's Airport Advisory Board.

County Commissioner, Precinct No. 3

  • Grant Moody (R)
  • Susan Korbel (D)

Analysis: In the race for Precinct 3 commissioner, conservative Grant Moody is running for a second full term versus Democratic challenger Susan Korbel. Moody defeated Korbel in 2022 by just over seven percentage points.

Moody, a former fighter pilot and businessowner, touts his support for more public spending on public safety and worries of crime. The largely Far North Side precinct is the sole bastion of Bexar County Republicanism.

Korbel, a market research consultant and former Alamo Colleges District trustee, touts her experience as a small businessowner and a longtime resident of the precinct. She has targeted the precinct’s well-known traffic and planning challenges as a campaign issue as well as how to protect natural resources while accommodating growth.

Justice of the Peace, Precinct No. 2

  • Roberto “Robbie” Vazquez (D)

Analysis: Roberto Vasquez is running unopposed for a sixth term. He was first elected in 2012, previously serving as a San Antonio municipal judge.

County Constable, Precinct No. 1

  • Ruben C. Tejeda (D)

Analysis: Ruben C. Tejeda, who has held the Southwest Bexar County seat for more than three decades, previously served as a Bexar County deputy sheriff. He is running unopposed.

Constable, Precinct No. 2

  • Paul Alexander Canales (R)
  • Leticia Rodriguez Vazquez (D)

Analysis: Leticia Rodriguez Vazquez seeks a second full term representing the seat that covers the West Side of San Antonio. The Democrat was appointed to the seat in 2019 following the resignation of Michelle Barrientes Vela, and she was elected in November 2020.

She faces a challenge from Republican Paul Alexander Canales, who previously worked in the Precinct 2 Constable's office.

Constable, Precinct No. 3

  • Mark Vojvodich (R)

Analysis: Mark Vojvodich, an Air Force veteran, has held the seat covering the North and Northwest Sides for the past 15 years. He previously worked in the Bexar County Sheriff's Office for 14 years. He is running unopposed.

County Constable, Precinct No. 4

  • Kathryn "Kat" Brown (D)

Analysis: Kathryn "Kat" Brown is running unopposed for a second term in the East Bexar County seat. She previously worked in the Bexar County Sheriff's Office for just under two decades.

Bexar County Water Control Improvement District #10 — For Director

  • Ann Marie Arnicar
  • Fernando Richards Jr.
  • Eddie R. Guerrero

Analysis: Bexar County Water Control Improvement District 10 is a governmental agency created by the Texas State Board of Water Engineers in 1955. It is an independent district that proved Water and Sewer service to citizens of Windcrest and a small number of San Antonio customers adjacent to Windcrest. Running for the director position are Ann Marie Arnicar, the board's secretary; Fernando Richards Jr., the board's treasurer; and Eddie R. Guerrero.


CITY OF SAN ANTONIO

Learn everything you need to know about the six charter amendments on the November ballot.

Proposition A: Ethics Review Board
"Shall Article XIII, entitled Ethics Review Board, of the City Charter be amended to add a definition of “conflicts of interest”; require sufficient funding to the Ethics Review Board so it may perform all its assigned duties, and authorize the Ethics Review Board to accept or decline complaints that have been resolved by an entity other than the Ethics Review Board?"

  • For
  • Against

Proposition B: Language modernization
"Shall the following sections of the City Charter be amended to revise or eliminate provisions which have been superseded by state law and to update archaic language to current usage: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13,15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 45, 46, 47, 49, 51, 52, 53, 53a, 54, 55, 56, 58, 67, 68, Article V.A., 69, 70, 71, 72, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95, 96, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, Article VIII, 112, 117, 119, 121, 122, 123, 123A, 124, 125, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, and 136?"

  • For
  • Against

Proposition C: City manager tenure and compensation
"Shall the Charter of the City of San Antonio be amended to grant to City Council the authority to set the full terms of the City Manager’s employment including tenure and compensation?"

  • For
  • Against
Prop C would eliminate salary and tenure caps voters placed on the city manager in 2018.

Proposition D: City employee political activity
"Shall the Charter of the City of San Antonio be amended to allow City employees to participate in local political activity consistent with State and Federal law while protecting employees against political retribution and maintaining a general prohibition on participation in local political activity for the city leadership team?"

  • For
  • Against

Proposition E: City Council compensation
"Shall the Charter of the City of San Antonio be amended to set and limit the compensation for City Council members and the Mayor at $70,200 and $87,800 annually with annual future adjustments to correlate to the United States Housing and Urban Development 4-member household median income for San Antonio, and authorize a Council member or the Mayor to decline any or all of the established compensation?"

  • For
  • Against

Proposition F: City Council terms
"Shall the Charter of the City of San Antonio be amended to extend the terms of all elected members of City Council, including the Mayor, from two (2) years to four (4) years and changing the term limits from four (4) full terms to two (2) full terms while keeping the terms concurrent?"

  • For
  • Against
San Antonio voters will decide on six changes to the city’s charter on Election Day, November 5th.The proposed amendments would make the following changes to the city’s charter, which is similar to the city’s constitution, an overall governance document.Gordon Hartman is a tri-chair of RenewSA, a local political action committee which launched a campaign supporting all six amendments to San Antonio’s charter this week.

EAST CENTRAL ISD

Analysis: East Central ISD has three bond packages and a tax increase to keep up with the district's enrollment growth. The district said the funding, which would pay for new schools and an upgrade its sports facility, was needed because of a lack of funding from the state.

Trustee, Place No. 4

  • David Santos Jr.
  • Sayda Mitchell-Morales
  • Victor Garza

Trustee, Place No. 6

  • Emiliano "Emilio" Carrasco

Bond Election

Proposition A
"Ratifying the ad valorem tax rate of $0.9329 per $100 valuation in the East Central Independent School District for the current year, a rate that will result in an increase of 16.96 percent in maintenance and operations tax revenue for the District for the current year as compared to the preceding year, which is an additional $6,600,000."

  • For
  • Against

Proposition B
"The issuance of bonds in the amount of $331,143,000 for school facilities and land for them and the levy of taxes sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds. This is a property tax increase."

  • For
  • Against

Proposition C
"The issuance of bonds in the amount of $10,000,000 for renovating school stadium facilities and the levy of taxes sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds. This is a property tax increase."

  • For
  • Against

Proposition D
"The issuance of bonds in the amount of $18,857,000 for the District’s outdoor recreational facilities and the levy of taxes sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds. This is a property tax increase."

  • For
  • Against

EDGEWOOD ISD

Analysis: Eight years after the state took over the district, Edgewood ISD's trustee election races are a referendum on how to move forward.

Three trustee seats are on the ballot, including two incumbents: Board President Martha Castilla and trustee Richard Santoyo. They want to continue along the path laid out by the state. The challengers, Dorothy Borjas and Sergio L. Delgado Jr., want to forge a new path.

There is one open seat after long time board member Joseph Guerra announced he would not seek re-election. The race to replace Guerra pits Rudy Lopez, a retired local law enforcement officer, against Jubilee Peña, a 19-year-old college student.

Trustee, Place No. 4

  • Dorothy Borjas
  • Martha I. Castilla

Trustee, Place No. 5

  • Rudy Lopez
  • Jubilee Peña

Trustee, Place No. 7

  • Sergio L. Delgado Jr.
  • Richard Santoyo

OTHER ELECTIONS

In Converse and Windcrest, voters will decide on new city councilmembers; in Kirby, on continuing a crime control and prevention district; in Sandy Oaks, on a mayor and aldermen; in Schertz, on several charter amendments.


WHAT'S NEXT?

In May 2025, San Antonio will select its new mayor. Incumbent Ron Nirenberg will term out, and several of his fellow city council members are among the contenders to sit in his office.

He was the sixth person to officially announce a run for mayor. The seat is open because Mayor Ron Nirenberg is termed out.
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