San Antonio residents have one more chance to weigh in on a hotly debated ballot proposition; election day is Saturday, May 6. Polls open at 7 a.m.
Early voting ended Tuesday. Along with picking a mayor and City Council members, voters have been deciding whether to amend the San Antonio City Charter to include a package of policing reforms known as Proposition A that includes decriminalizing marijuana and abortion, further restricting police officers’ use of no-knock warrants, banning chokeholds and expanding the city’s cite-and-release policy for some low-level, nonviolent crimes.
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 residents among the 10 council districts so there is no more than 10% overall difference between the smallest and largest districts.
To find out whether your council district has changed, 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.
While turnout has been only about 11% for recent mayoral and San Antonio council elections, 17% of eligible voters turned out in 2021 when another proposition relating to policing — Proposition B — was on the ballot. Like this year’s Prop A, also known as the Justice Charter, the 2021 ballot initiative was also controversial and may have driven more voters to the polls.
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. To read more about what’s in Proposition A, click here.
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.
To see a sample ballot, click here.
To learn more about Prop A and who’s running for City Council and mayor, check out the San Antonio Report’s 2023 city election guide. And read on for answers to some frequently asked questions about early voting and more:
Where can I vote?
There are dozens of voting centers across San Antonio and Bexar County. Find a list of them here.
How can I determine if I’m registered to vote?
In order to vote, you need to be registered. You can check your voter registration status here. All you need are a few things: Voter Unique Identifier (VUID) or Texas Driver’s License number, your name, county and date of birth.
How do I know if I’m eligible to vote?
You are eligible to vote if you registered by the April 6 deadline and are:
- A U.S. citizen
- A resident of the county where you submit your voter registration application
- At least 18 years old on Election Day
- Not a convicted felon (you may be eligible to vote if you have completed your sentence, probation and parole)
- Not been declared by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.
What if I want to 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?
Yes. The deadline for Bexar County to receive your application to vote by mail was Tuesday, April 25.
When is early voting?
Early voting ran through Tuesday, May 2.
Have more questions?
Check out VoteTexas.gov. Or ask us, and we’ll find an answer for you!
