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San Antonio voters in the runoff municipal elections nearly surpassed the total vote count from May’s general election.
More than 98,000 voters came out early in the runoff election for council seats in Districts 1, 6, 8, and 9, as well as the mayor’s race. That’s compared to just over 101,000 residents who voted early and on election day in May.
UTSA Political Science Department Chair and Professor Jon Taylor said it didn’t mean San Antonio would be breaking turnout records anytime soon.
“Let's be honest here, even with a 30% plus increase in voter turnout from the general election back in May to the runoff now, we're still not talking about some massive number of people that are going to be voting in this election,” he said.
Taylor attributed much of the increase in voter turnout to get out the vote efforts being led by the Rolando Pablos and Gina Ortiz Jones campaigns for mayor, and particularly Pablos’ campaign.
“We're definitely seeing some sort of get out the vote effort,” Taylor said. “And based on where the early numbers have been coming from, on the Northside — particularly from what would be Districts 8, 9, and 10 — that suggests to me those are areas of strength for conservatives and, therefore, Pablos."
Pablos previously served as a Republican secretary of state under Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. He’s campaigned on bringing more businesses to San Antonio and solving poverty through economic development.
His campaign has been supported by over a million dollars from the Texas Economic Fund, a political action committee with ties to Abbott.
Meanwhile, Gina Ortiz Jones — a former Undersecretary of the Air Force — ran twice for Congress as a Democrat. Her campaign’s focus has been on keeping San Antonio a compassionate city and improving housing affordability.
Taylor said that given San Antonio’s status as a blue city and national headwinds against Republicans, he believes the reason Pablos appears to be so competitive is his grasp on retail politics.
“Some might argue is that perception is everything, that personality plays a role, that at least the idea of approachability and likability plays a role," he said. "And I think this is where Pablos has been successful in attacking Jones as she's viewed as a bit aloof and focused on certain issues that are not necessarily local issues. I would say the same thing with Pablos as well, but the difference is that Pablos tends to come across as a little bit warmer."
The mayor’s race is just one of five runoff elections being held on Saturday. Seats in Districts 1, 6, 8, and 9 are also being contested. District 1’s race is the only one with an incumbent.
While municipal races in Texas are technically non-partisan, three of the four council races are match-ups between more progressive and conservative candidates, which Taylor says could mean a very shaken up council once the dust settles on Saturday night.
“You've got a city council that is probably going to be less willing or amenable to go along with what the mayor wants, irrespective of what side [wins],” he said.
When you add in projected multi-hundred-million-dollar budget deficits in the coming years, Taylor said, whoever wins the mayor’s seat likely won’t get to enjoy the typical honeymoon period.
Polls for runoff election day open at 7:00 a.m. Saturday and close at 7:00 p.m.
