Elections - General Municipal Election Information

We hope that this site is helpful to you. Whether you are interested in running for Municipal Office or just getting general information about the City of San Antonio Municipal Elections, we hope you will find what you need here! If you are unable to find the information you need, have a question, or have a suggestion to improve our website, please contact us.

Physical Address
Office of the City Clerk
City Hall, 2nd Floor
100 Military Plaza
San Antonio, TX 78205

Phone:	210-207-7253
Fax:	210-207-7032

Mailing Address
Melinda L. Uriegas
Assistant City Clerk
Office of the City Clerk
P.O. Box 839966
San Antonio, TX 78283-3966

Municipal Election - Frequently Asked Questions

•Where can I get more information about the upcoming May 11, 2013 General Election

•When are elections held to elect the Mayor and Members of City Council?

•Which City Council Offices are up for election?

•What are the qualifications to run for Municipal Office?

•When are the City Council district boundaries determined?

•What are the terms of office?

•Are there term limits?

•When do the Mayor and Members of City Council take office?

•Does the City Council receive a salary?

•How do I apply for Municipal Office?

•Is there a fee associated with applying for Municipal Office?

•Is there anything else that I need to submit?

•What if I decide to withdraw after I have submitted my Application for a Place
on the Ballot?

•How do I get more information about running for Municipal Office?

Voter Registration - Frequently Asked Questions

•Where can I register to vote?

•What are the qualifications to register to vote?

•How do I change my voter registration information?

•How do I request a replacement voter registration card?

•When does my Voter Registration become effective?

•What if I don’t receive my voter registration card before the next election?

•Can I vote without a voter registration card?

•How can I vote by mail?

•If I am stationed elsewhere due to military service, how can I vote?

Municipal Election - Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get more information about the upcoming May 11, 2013 General Election? The Office of the City Clerk will host an Election/Campaign Finance Workshop on Monday, January 14, 2013 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the "B" Room of the Municipal Plaza Building located at 114. W Commerce. Attendees will be introduced to the requirements of running for City Council as well as State and Municipal Campaign Finance Regulations. Individuals can contact the Office of the City Clerk at 207-7253 for more information. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
When are elections held to elect the Mayor and Members of City Council? The City of San Antonio conducts its General Election every odd year in May. The next General Election is scheduled for Saturday, May 11, 2013. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
Which City Council Offices are up for election? The Mayor and all ten (10) City Council Offices are up for election every odd year in May. However, not all Members of the City Council are eligible for re-election as the City of San Antonio has term limits. Please see sections below for more information regarding to terms of offices and term limits. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
What are the qualifications to run for Municipal Office? Please refer to this complete listing of qualifications. In addition to these qualifications, please make note of the following City Charter provisions: Section 140(b): No appointee of any City board or commission shall continue in such position after becoming a Candidate for nomination or election to any City or Bexar County elected office. Section 78(c): No City employee shall continue in such position after becoming a Candidate for nomination or election to any City or Bexar County elected office. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
When are the City Council district boundaries determined? The City Council Districts are determined once every 10 years based on the United States Census. Each Council District is substantially equal in population. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
What are the terms of office? Per Section 5 of the City Charter, the term of office for all Members of the City Council elected at a General Election is two (2) years. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
Are there term limits? Yes. Effective December 1, 2008, no person shall be eligible to hold any elected office for more than four (4) full terms of office. Prior to this date, the term of office was two (2) full terms of office. Please refer to Section 20 of the City Charter for more detailed information. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
When do the Mayor and Members of City Council take office? Per Section 5 of the City Charter, the Mayor and Members of City Council take office June 1st following the May General Election. In the event of a Run-off Election, the successful Member(s) of Council takes office as soon as practicable. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
Does the City Council receive a salary? Yes, per Sections 6 and 9 of the City Charter, each Councilmember receives compensation in the amount of $20.00 per meeting attended. The Mayor is compensated the same amount as a Councilmember plus receives an additional $3,000 annually. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
How do I apply for Municipal Office? In order to have your name appear on the ballot, an individual is required to submit an Application for a Place on the Ballot. For the May 2013 General Election, the application period for Candidates is from Wednesday, January 30, 2013 to 5:00pm on Friday, March 1, 2013. Note, that a candidate may announce his/her intention to run for Municipal Office at any time. However, he/she can not file an Application until the designated filing period. Applications must be submitted to the Office of the City Clerk. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
Is there a fee associated with applying for Municipal Office? Individuals can pay either the filing fee of $100 as denoted in Section 19 of the City Charter OR submit petition signatures. As per Section 143.005(d) of the Texas Election Code, the number of valid petition signatures required to be submitted varies for each Council District as well as each Municipal Election. A valid petition signature is defined as a registered voter of that City Council District, or for the City of San Antonio if applying for Mayor, at the time the petition signatures are submitted to the Office of the City Clerk. Click here to obtain the number of petition signatures required. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
Is there anything else that I need to submit? In accordance with Section 2-306 of Municipal Campaign Finance Regulations, Officeholders and Candidates for Municipal Office are required to submit monthly bank statements within five (5) business days of receipt of the statement from the financial institution. Statements should be delivered to the following address: Physical Address: Mailing Address: Melinda L. Uriegas Melinda L. Uriegas Assistant City Clerk Assistant City Clerk Office of the City Clerk Office of the City Clerk City Hall, 2nd Floor P.O. Box 839966 100 Military Plaza San Antonio, TX 78283-3966 San Antonio, TX 78205 Statements can also be e-mailed to melinda.uriegas@sanantonio.gov. Please refer to the Campaign Finance section of this webpage for more detailed information regarding this topic. Additionally, Chapter 145 of the Local Government Code requires that all Officeholders and Candidates for Municipal Office submit a Personal Financial Statement (PFS) while the City of San Antonio’s Ethics Code requires the submission of a PFS Addendum. Pursuant to Chapter 258 of the Texas Election Code, every Candidate and Political Committee is encouraged to subscribe to the Code of Fair Campaign Practices. The Code may be filed with the Office of the City Clerk upon submission of the Campaign Treasurer Appointment. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
What if I decide to withdraw after I have submitted my Application for a Place on the Ballot? In accordance with Chapter 145.001 of the Texas Election Code, a Candidate is required to submit a sworn statement acknowledging his/her intent to withdraw his/her Application for a Place on the Ballot. For the May 2013 General Election, the deadline to submit this form is 5:00pm on Monday, March 4, 2013. The Withdrawal Request is considered effective immediately upon being received in the Office of the City Clerk. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
How do I get more information about running for Municipal Office? Candidate packets containing pertinent election information are available in the Office of the City Clerk beginning each January before a City Council Election. The cost of the packet is currently thirty dollars ($30). Packets contain the following: • Filing Procedures • Important dates related to the election •The Application for a Place on the Ballot • Petition Form and number of signatures • State and Municipal Political Advertising Information • Financial Disclosure Information • State and Local Campaign Finance Regulations RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
Voter Registration - Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I register to vote? There are several ways in which a person can register to vote. 1. Complete a voter registration application card from the Texas Secretary of State Website. Print, sign, and mail the form to: Bexar County Voter Registration Office 203 W. Nueva, Suite 3.61 San Antonio, TX 78207 2. Call the Bexar County Voter Registration Office at (210)335-VOTE and request a voter registration application to be sent to you. 3. Visit the Bexar County Voter Registration Office at 233 N. Pecos la Trinidad, Suite 350 or the Bexar County Elections Office at 203 W. Nueva, Suite 3.61 to request a voter registration application. 4. You may also register to vote by completing a Texas Voter Registration Application. Applications are available at libraries, post offices, and government offices. The application may be mailed to either the Bexar County Voter Registration Office or the Bexar County Elections Office. The application must be postmarked 30 days before an election for you to be eligible to vote in that election. For more information, please view A Guide to Voter Registration, at the Texas Secretary of State web site. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
What are the qualifications to register to vote? In order to be eligible to vote, you must: Register to vote in the county in which you reside Be a citizen of the United States Be at least 17 years and 10 months of age to register and be 18 years of age by Election Day Not be convicted of a felony, or if you are a felon, you must have completed all of your punishment, including any term of incarceration, parole, supervision, period of probation, or received a pardon. If you are on "deferred adjudication" or "off paper", you may register and vote. If you are registering for the first time by mail, you must provide valid identification that shows your name and address. If you do not provide identification at the time of registration, you will receive a letter requesting proof of identity. Otherwise, you will be required to present such identification when you vote, either in person or by mail. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
How do I change my voter registration information? If you still reside within Bexar County, you can change your voter registration information in the following methods: 1. Submit a change request to you voter registration card online through Texas Online. 2. Download and complete a voter registration application indicating a change in name/address. Mail or fax your change request to the Bexar County Voter Registration Office. 3. Make a note of the changes to be made in the space provided on the back of your Voter Registration card. Fax or mail your Voter Registration Card to: Bexar County Voter Registration Office 203 W. Nueva, Suite 3.61 San Antonio, TX 78207 Fax: 210-335-6624 RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
How do I request a replacement voter registration card? You can request a replacement voter registration card in the following methods: 1. Complete a voter registration application card from the Texas Secretary of State Website. Select "Replacement" and fill out the application online. Print, sign, and mail or fax the application to: Bexar County Voter Registration Office 203 W. Nueva, Suite 3.61 San Antonio, TX 78207 Fax: 210-335-6624 2. Mail or fax a signed written request for a replacement card to the address above. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
When does my Voter Registration become effective? Your voter registration will become effective 30 days after it is received or on your 18th birthday whichever is later. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
What if I don’t receive my voter registration card before the next election? You can call the Bexar County Voter Registration Office at 335-VOTE (8683) to confirm your voter registration status. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
Can I vote without a voter registration card? Yes. However, bringing the card will help both you and others in line by speeding up the voting process. If you do not have your card, you will be asked for a Drivers License or other form of positive identification. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
How can I vote by mail? You may vote Early by Mail if you are: Going to be out of the County on Election Day and during the Early Voting period Sick or disabled 65 years of age or older on Election Day; or Confined in jail, but eligible to vote. You may request an Application for a Ballot by Mail by calling the Bexar County Elections Office at 335-0362 or by mailing a request to: Jacque Callanen Bexar County Elections Administrator 203 W. Nueva, Suite 3.61 San Antonio, TX 78207. Bexar County will mail you an Application for a Ballot by Mail. Please read all the instructions, be sure to indicate what election you want to vote in, and be sure to sign the card. Bexar County will verify the information when the application is returned, and mail the ballot to you when they are available. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
If I am stationed elsewhere due to military service, how can I vote? The Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) is a form provided by federal law to permit members of the U.S. armed forces and merchant marines, their dependents and U.S. citizens abroad to vote early by mail and, if necessary, to temporarily register to vote. You are eligible to vote early with an FPCA if you are qualified to vote in Texas and you are: A member of the U.S. armed forces, their spouse or a dependent A member of the U.S. merchant marines, their spouse or a dependent A U.S. citizen domiciled in Texas but temporarily living outside the territorial limits of the United States RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE

P.O. Box 839966, San Antonio, TX 78283-3966 * (210)207-7253 / 7255 * Fax (210)207-7032
Office of the City Clerk * Hours M-F, 7:45am - 5:00pm