Voters will head to the polls May 6 to elect San Antonio City Council members and a mayor and to vote on a controversial policing reform ballot initiative.
Early voting ends Tuesday, May 2.
To get to know the candidates in the mayoral race and your City Council district, click through our just-launched 2023 voter guide, featuring candidate profiles, their answers to a questionnaire and links to their websites and social media.
Use these links to navigate through the guide, and read on below for some FAQs about what to expect in the upcoming election.
The San Antonio Report’s 2023 Voter Guide
Which city council district am I in?
Redistricting means some 40,000 San Antonio residents will find they’re in different council districts for this election than they were for the last city elections in 2021.
The 2020 census showed San Antonio added roughly 100,000 residents since the previous census, with some council districts having grown more than others. The city was required by law to redistribute citizens among the 10 council districts so there is no more than 10% overall difference between the smallest and largest districts.
To determine what council district you will be voting in, click here.
What’s on the ballot?
Every City Council seat is up for election, with voters picking representatives for a two-year term. The seats in District 7 and District 10 are open; the other seats have incumbents seeking reelection.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg is seeking his fourth and final two-year term, facing eight opponents, none of whom are considered a threat to oust him.
What may drive voters to the polls in a typically a low-turnout election is Proposition A, which the police reform group ACT 4 SA got on the ballot by gathering thousands of petition signatures. Almost certain to face legal challenges should it be approved by voters, Prop A — also known as the Justice Charter — would decriminalize marijuana and abortion, further restrict police officers’ use of no-knock warrants, ban chokeholds, expand the city’s cite-and-release policy for some low-level, nonviolent crimes and establish a justice director position within the city’s administration.
At least four political action committees both for and against Prop A are working to sway voters’ decisions on the proposed city charter amendment, which is 432 words long.
Also on the ballot are school trustee elections in Northside Independent School District, San Antonio ISD, Judson ISD, Harlandale ISD and Southwest ISD, along with school bond issues in Alamo Heights ISD, Comal ISD and Southwest ISD.
Several Bexar County municipalities are electing council members or aldermen. But to weigh in on Prop A, you must be a City of San Antonio resident.
Is it too late to register to vote?
The deadline to be registered to vote in the May 6 election was April 6. To check if you’re registered, click here. You need your Voter Unique Identifier (VUID) or Texas Driver’s License number, your name, county and date of birth.
I just moved. Do I need to re-register?
If you moved to a different address within the City of San Antonio, all you have to do is update your address online. You can also get a new voter registration application, make note of your new address and mail it to the Voter Registration Office.
According to the city’s website, address changes submitted less than 30 days prior to an election (in this case, later than April 6) won’t take effect for this election.
Can I vote by mail?
You must request an application from the Bexar County Elections Department to vote by mail. In Texas, you are eligible to vote by mail only if you:
- are 65 years or older on Election Day
- are disabled
- expect to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day
- will be absent from the county you’re registered in during early voting and on Election Day
- are in jail but otherwise eligible to vote.
On your application to vote by mail, you must include an ID number, either your Texas Driver’s License number, your Personal ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security Number. The law requires that one of the numbers must match a number on your voter registration record.
Is it too late to apply to vote by mail?
No. The deadline for Bexar County to receive your application to vote by mail is April 25.
When is early voting?
Early voting begins Monday, April 24, and ends Tuesday, May 2. But because early voting corresponds with Fiesta, polls will be closed on Friday, April 28, the day of the Battle of Flowers parade. Polls are also closed on Sunday, April 30.
For a list of early voting hours and locations, click here.
Have more questions?
Check out VoteTexas.gov. Or ask us, and we’ll find an answer for you!
