Overview
- In a discussion-only meeting on Wednesday, several council members expressed reluctance to shift city elections from May to November in odd-numbered years.
- Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones is pushing the change, citing Fiesta conflicts, a habit of November voting and an estimated $800,000 to $1 million per election in savings attributed to the city manager, a figure staff has not confirmed.
- Jones has said she expects a Dec. 18 vote, though no final action has been taken yet and the council’s majority position remains unclear.
- State law under Senate Bill 1494 allows cities to move their general elections to the November uniform date by Dec. 31, 2026, which means the council could still act before the next San Antonio election in 2029.
- Skeptical members raised concerns about potential impacts on school districts that often share May ballots, the speed of the process and whether voters should approve the change, while turnout data and analysis show mixed patterns for odd-year November participation.