Shifting San Antonio’s off-year municipal elections from Might to November, which at first seemed to be a slam-dunk proposal from Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, bought a shocking quantity of pushback at a Wednesday Metropolis Council session.
Certainly, the proposal has drawn endorsements from former mayors Henry Cisneros, Nelson Wolff, Phil Hardberger, Julián Castro and Ron Nirenberg.
Jones started the assembly by inviting Rice College political scientist Melissa Marschall to debate analysis exhibiting that shifting municipal elections to November will increase voter turnout, saves cash and attracts low-income and youthful voters who usually keep at residence.
Regardless of the testimony and endorsements by former metropolis leaders, a majority of council members have been both on the fence or expressed staunch opposition to the thought.
District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte stated he opposes the transfer as a result of San Antonio voters received’t get an opportunity vote on it in a poll initiative. When Dallas moved its municipal elections to November, voters had a say within the matter, he stated.
San Antonio is the one giant metropolis in Texas to not have unified elections in odd-year contests, and it additionally has among the many lowest voter turnouts amongst Texas cities.
In the meantime, District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur and District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo questioned whether or not San Antonio’s quite a few, already underfunded college districts could be compelled to foot the invoice for his or her elections in the event that they’re nonetheless to happen in Might.
District 7 Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito, who’s been a vocal opponent of Jones and is rumored to be gearing up for a 2029 mayoral run, questioned the cost-saving figures supplied by Metropolis Supervisor Erik Walsh.
In latest weeks, Jones has stated that shifting the town’s off-year elections to November would save San Antonio $800,000 and $1 million per cycle. Nonetheless, Walsh advised council that these figures have been kind of a guesstimate and never rooted in exhausting information.
“The price of the elections is run and borne by the county elections workplace,” Walsh advised council. “We don’t have a breakdown or particulars about what future [costs] are. We are able to present you what the previous is, as a result of the longer term relies on who all is on the poll.”
Walsh continued: “This isn’t essentially cost-saving. We’re not lowering the finances or balancing the finances. Price is an element right here, but it surely’s extra of a coverage dialog.”
Solely District 2’s Councilman’s Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, District 3’s Phyllis Viagran and District 4’s Edward Mungia stated they have been in full help of Jones’ proposal.
Jones initially stated she deliberate so as to add a vote on the matter to council’s Dec. 18 agenda. Nonetheless, the vote hasn’t but been scheduled as of press time.
San Antonio Metropolis Council solely has till Dec. 31 to resolve whether or not to maneuver the elections earlier than a window set by the Texas Legislature expires.
Keep tuned.
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Associated Tales
Jones’ journey to Mexico Metropolis is her newest effort to drum up worldwide funding right here.
Consultants argue the transfer encourages turnout whereas additionally saving taxpayer cash.
Some councilmembers say there isn’t sufficient time for neighborhood enter on shifting off-year municipal elections to November. Jones says that’s not her fault.
