Among the local policy changes San Antonio voters approved on the Nov. 5 ballot was a move from two-year to four-year City Council terms — aimed at giving council members more time to learn the ropes before they’re thrust back into campaigning.

A new generation of council members will soon put that theory to the test, when a host of new faces are elected in the May 3 municipal election.

The 10-member council is headed for a shakeup next year as two longtime members term out and at least two others have signaled plans to leave their seats for the crowded mayor’s race.

Candidates running to replace them, as well as San Antonio’s next mayor, will all have a long runway to implement their vision for the city before facing reelection in 2029.

Crowded races are already shaping up to replace Councilmen Manny Pelaez (D8) and John Courage (D9), who have hit the eight-year limits in their districts and launched mayoral campaigns earlier this year.

Additionally, the new four-year council terms are pushing some candidates who have eligibility left in their current roles into the open mayoral race. Under the new rules council members are still capped at eight years of service, but some members would hit that limit in the middle of an election cycle.

The first members affected are Councilwomen Adriana Rocha Garcia (D4) and Melissa Cabello Havrda (D6), elected for the first time in 2019, who have both indicated they’ll opt to run for mayor instead of seeking an abbreviated two-year final term in the 2025 election.

That’s already created a rush of candidates for open races in their council districts in 2025, which will be spared from a potentially low-turnout special election in 2027 if their council members were reelected to serve out their remaining two years. 

Their final reelection races would also have pitting the incumbents against challengers who could campaign for a full four-year term, per the implementation plans the council agreed to when they decided to put longer terms on the ballot.

A second group of council members, Sukh Kaur (D1), Marina Alderete Gavito (D7) and Marc Whyte (D10), could face the same issue in 2029. They’d each have two years of eligibility left in their current seats after the next election, and would have to decide whether to run for the shortened final term.

With the Nov. 5 presidential election in the rearview, campaigns for the 2025 election are ramping up.

Filing doesn’t open until Jan. 16, but more than 30 campaign treasurer reports have been filed, allowing candidates to start raising money for their races.

San Antonio’s 2025 mayoral race

With Mayor Ron Nirenberg termed out, so far 15 candidates have filed treasurer reports for the race to replace him.

In addition to the four council members who have signaled interest, former Councilman Clayton Perry (D10) is assembling a campaign, as are two well-funded outside candidates, tech entrepreneur Beto Altamirano and former Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos.

Pablos is holding a campaign kickoff fundraiser on Nov. 18, featuring a massive host committee. 

City Council District 4

So far two candidates with political experience have filed treasurer reports for the open race to replace Rocha Garcia.

Edward Mungia, who is Rocha Garcia’s director of special projects, is running for his boss’ seat, as well as South San Antonio ISD Trustee Ernesto Arrellano Jr., who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination in Bexar County Precinct 1 this year.  

City Council District 6

Cabello Havrda hasn’t formally launched a mayoral campaign, but three candidates interested in her seat made their case at a recent Thunderbird Hills Neighborhood Association Meeting.

Among them was Lawson Alaniz-Picasso, a former District 1 staffer who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination in Bexar County’s Precinct 1 this year, and Northside ISD trustee Homer Guevara. Both have filed treasurer’s reports.

Donovon Rodriguez, currently the chief of staff for state Rep. Ray Lopez, signaled interest in the race at that event, but later decided not to run.

Ric Galvan, a director of special projects for City Council District 5, has also filed a treasurer’s report, as have two other candidates, Vanessa Chavez and Carlos Antonio Raymond.

City Council District 8

The race to replace Pelaez is attracting some of the most attention, with a trio of potential candidates starting their jockeying in March.

Ivalis Meza Gonzalez, a former Nirenberg chief of staff who previously ran for Bexar County judge in 2022, formally launched her campaign on Saturday.

Sakib Shaikh, a realtor, landlord and small business owner who briefly worked for the councilman in 2017, has already started campaigning.

Attorney Paula McGee is also running. She named as her treasurer Reed Williams, a former councilman and business leader who has taken an interest in influencing the council landscape.

City Council District 9

Though council races aren’t partisan, District 9 is regarded as the most conservative-leaning council district, and drew a candidate well-known in Republican circles on Tuesday.

Misty Spears, who currently serves as Commissioner Grant Moody’s (Pct. 3) constituent services director, launched a campaign for the open D9 seat with the endorsement of her boss. Spears was Republicans’ nominee for Bexar County Clerk in 2022.

Angi Taylor-Aramburu, who was Democrats’ nominee for state House District 122 in 2022, launched a campaign in May.

Valerie Moczygemba and Emily Garza have also filed treasurer reports.

Bonus: City Council District 1

Kaur, elected in 2023, has already drawn one challenger in what’s expected to be a crowded race.

Greater Harmony Hills Neighborhood Association President Patty Gibbons, who fought to keep her neighborhood out of D1 during redistricting, announced plans to challenge Kaur last month.