This year San Antonio is hosting its first mayor’s race without an incumbent on the ballot since 2009 — when Julián Castro was elected for the first time.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg, who unseated an incumbent for the role in 2017, is term-limited from seeking reelection. A total of 27 candidates signed up for the race to replace him.
The winner must take at least 50% of the vote, meaning the race is almost certain to go to a June 7 runoff between the top two finishers on May 3.
The next mayor will be eligible for two four-year terms, thanks to term changes voters approved in November. The job pays $87,800 per year.
Candidate information comes from candidate websites, filing documents and other sources.
Mayor candidates
Names below are listed in the order they will appear on the ballot .
Rolando Pablos served as Texas Secretary of State and chairs the international committee of the Texas Association of Business.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Sonia Eliza Traut is retired from a career in the U.S. Air Force.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Robert Melvin chaired the economic development group San Antonio for Growth on the East Side.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Christopher Reyes is a survey technician for an engineering company.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Jade McCullough is the owner of Jaszy’s Angel Childcare.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Brandon Gonzales is a granite polisher and first-time political candidate.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Tim Westley is an education services specialist with the Department of Defense.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Councilman Manny Pelaez (D8) is an attorney who has represented San Antonio's far Northwest side since 2017.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
William John Ruppel Jr. had a 27-year career at USAA, where he worked as an appraiser.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Armando Dominguez ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2023.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia (D4) has represented the Southwest Side on the council since 2019.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Gina Ortiz Jones is an Air Force veteran who served as Under Secretary of the Air Force under the Biden Administration.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Diana Flores Uriegas lists her profession as housewife. She's run unsuccessfully for mayor and City Council District 3 in the past.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Clayton Perry is a civil engineer who represented District 10 on the City Council from 2017 to 2023.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Councilman John Courage is a former teacher and Air Force veteran who has represented District 9 since 2017.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Christopher Herring is the executive director of Global Chamber San Antonio and a U.S. Air Force veteran.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
James “Jae” Melvin is a construction liaison.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Andrew Fernandez Vicencio is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel and former City of San Antonio employee.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Gerardo del Cristo Zambrano is an engineer whose resume includes leading a wholesale company that updates petroleum refineries.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Arturo Espinosa is a chemical engineer who previously ran for a District 5 City Council seat.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
April Guadarrama is a U.S. Navy veteran who had a 30-year career as an insurance agent.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Michael "Sam" Samaniego is a retired Air Force master sergeant who ran for mayor in 2023.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Beto Altamirano is a tech executive who created the city’s first digital service request platform.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Robert Salinas is an auto repair shop owner.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Councilwoman Melissa Cabello-Havrda (D6) is a disability lawyer who has represented the far West Side since 2019.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Mauricio "Mau" Sanchez is an executive at a San Antonio-based financial management firm.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Santos Alvarado is a U.S. Army veteran who retired after 23 years of combined Army Reserves and U.S. Army active duty in 2011.
Mayoral candidate
Open race — no incumbent
Watch the San Antonio Report’s mayoral debate:
VIDEO Watch the San Antonio Report and KLRN’s Voter Guide show:
VIDEO Read more:
Inside the expensive, ‘confusing,’ 27-candidate race to be San Antonio’s next mayor
Big spending in San Antonio mayor race kicks off self-funding surge
View the full Voter Guide:
