The May municipal elections ended Saturday with five City Council seats still undecided, which means San Antonians in some parts of the city will be returning to the polls June 5.
Residents of Districts 1, 2, 3, 5, and 9 will have the chance to vote once more to decide who will represent them on the City Council dais for the next two years. While Districts 3 and 5 had no incumbents running, Council members Roberto Treviño (D1), Jada Andrews-Sullivan (D2), and John Courage (D9) are all defending their seats against challengers.
Only residents in the districts with undecided City Council seats are able to vote in June. But if you didn’t vote in the May 1 election and have a runoff in your district, you are still eligible to vote in the runoffs. If you’re not registered to vote, the deadline for registering in order to cast a ballot in the runoff election is May 6. Read on for more information on how to register.
How can I determine if I’m registered to vote?
You can check your voter registration status here. All you need is your Voter ID number or Texas driver’s license number, your name, county of residence, and date of birth.
How can I register to vote?
Voter registration ends Thursday, May 6. The Bexar County Elections Department can get you registered, and the office is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
You also can register at libraries or through a volunteer deputy registrar.
When can I vote?
Early voting in the runoffs starts Monday, May 24, and ends Tuesday, June 1. Election day is Saturday, June 5.
What’s on the ballot?
Only San Antonio voters who reside in council districts with runoff races will be eligible to vote.
In District 1, voters will decide between Councilman Roberto Treviño, who is seeking his fourth and final term, and challenger Mario Bravo, a project manager for the Environmental Defense Fund.
In District 2, Councilwoman Jada Andrews-Sullivan will face her former communications director Jalen McKee-Rodriguez as she vies for reelection. Andrews-Sullivan has served one term.
In District 3, as Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran prepares to depart due to term limits, her sister Phyllis Viagran is running against Tomas Uresti, the brother of former state Sen. Carlos Uresti and current Bexar County tax assessor-collector Albert Uresti.
In District 5, which Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales is vacating because of term limits, teacher and urban policy historian Teri Castillo will face Thompson Neighborhood Association President Rudy Lopez on the ballot.
And in District 9, Councilman John Courage takes on challenger Patrick Von Dohlen, who has now run for the seat three times. Courage is seeking his third term.
Can I cast an absentee ballot?
You can vote by mail if you are:
- Going to be away from your county on election day and during early voting
- Sick or disabled
- 65 years of age or older on election day
- Confined in jail, but eligible to vote
The Texas Supreme Court determined last May that not having immunity to the novel coronavirus is not a “disability” does not qualify a voter to cast a ballot by mail. But the court also said that voters can consider their own health and health history to decide whether or not to apply to vote by mail due to disability.
You can request an application for an absentee ballot from the elections department, or print one out here. Applications for absentee ballots must be received by the elections department on May 25, 11 days before election day. And for your vote to count, it must be received by 7 p.m. June 5.
Have more questions?
Check out VoteTexas.gov. Or ask us and we’ll find an answer for you.
