A Mom’s Guide to the 2015 Election for Mayor of San Antonio

On May 9, 2015, San Antonio will hold an election to help choose its next mayor and decide other important issues for our future. Early voting started Monday, April 27. For busy moms, it’s hard to keep up with the news and to filter the issues that moms care about most. I hope this guide helps you get to know the major candidates and gives you the confidence to cast your vote in this election.

There are 14 candidates on the ballot for mayor, but this post will focus on the four major candidates: Ivy Taylor, Leticia Van de Putte, Mike Villarreal, and Tommy Adkisson.

What do moms care about? Discuss the major candidates based on these qualities.

• Doing their homework. Does the candidate have meaningful prior experience?
• Making friends. Moms like it when people play nicely together. The office of mayor of San Antonio is a non-partisan political position. Does the candidate have a history of working across the aisle?
• Thinking about the future. Moms care about education policy and the quality of life in our city; how do the candidates plan to build a better future?
• Style points. How do the candidates present themselves and relate to constituents?

Ivy Taylor

• Homework. Taylor was appointed mayor of San Antonio in July 2014. Before that, she represented District 2, on San Antonio’s east side, on the city council, starting in 2009. She grew up in New York, earned her undergraduate degree at Yale, and has a background as an urban planner.
• Friendship. Taylor has served on city council and as mayor, and those are non-partisan political offices.
• Future. Taylor cares about housing, jobs, neighborhoods, schools, and our water supply. She highlights Eastpoint, a convergence of federal housing and education grants to bring development to struggling neighborhoods on the east side, as an accomplishment.
• Style. Taylor is poised and professional, wearing tailored suits and heels. Her daughter, Morgan, sometimes comes with her to events.

Leticia Van de Putte

• Homework. Van de Putte is a pharmacist and a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin. She has represented District 26 in the Texas Senate since 1999 (and has served in the Texas House since 1992) and is well known across the city.
• Friendship. She served as a Democrat in the Texas Senate, but was known for working with Republicans in the Senate as well. She ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat for Lieutenant Governor in 2014.
• Future. Her platform highlights park improvements as a way to improve health and quality of life. She addresses education in terms of workforce development and cultural opportunities as a benefit of supporting the creative class.
• Style. Larger-than-life charisma. During a filibuster in the last hours of the 2013 legislative session, Van de Putte demanded to be heard: “At what point must a female senator raise her hand or her voice to be recognized over her male colleagues?”

Mike Villarreal

• Homework. Villarreal represented District 123, the urban core of San Antonio, in the Texas House of Representatives from 1999–2015, until he resigned to run for mayor. He has an undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and a degree in public policy from Harvard.
• Friendship. He served as a Democrat in the Texas House, but earned a reputation as an independent thinker, especially on issues such as education policy.
• Future. Villarreal talks about creating a city that our kids will want to stay and live in when they grow up: “Ultimately, having an educated workforce is the best way to grow high-paying jobs.” His education platform discusses ways to make sure that students who earn high school diplomas are ready for college or skilled jobs.
• Style. When asked a question, Villarreal stops and thinks a moment before answering; once he gets rolling, he speaks with passion and has lots of facts at hand.

Tommy Adkisson

• Homework. Adkisson represented Precinct 4 on the Bexar County Commissioner’s Court from 1998 to 2014; he also served in the Texas House. He has an undergraduate degree from The University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from the South Texas College of Law.
• Friendship. He served as a Democrat on the Commissioner’s Court. He ran unsuccessfully for Bexar County Judge in 2014, losing to Nelson Wolff, a Democrat who is known for working with Republicans.
• Future. Adkisson criticizes the status quo, and highlights transportation and neighborhoods as priorities.
• Style. Adkisson makes the extra effort to be accessible to constituents.

There’s more on the ballot than just the mayor’s race. All 10 city council members are running for reelection. Also, there are two propositions:

1. Steps to protect the Edwards Aquifer
2. Continuing funding for the greenway trails system

And four charter amendments:

1. Requiring a city-wide vote before building a streetcar or light rail system
2. Providing a meaningful salary for the mayor and city council members
3. Changing how to fill a vacancy in the mayor’s office
4. Cleanup/sunset for the city charter

Depending on which school district you live in, you may be able to vote for school board members. Harlandale ISD, Judson ISD, Northside ISD, San Antonio ISD, and Southside ISD are holding elections.

What else do you need to know?

Registration: It’s too late to register for the May 9 election. VoteTexas.gov, from the Texas Secretary of State’s office, has information about where to register, and as long as you register before October 5, you’ll be eligible to vote in the November 5, 2015 election.

Where to vote: For early voting, you can cast a ballot at any voting location, not just the one closest to your house. Bring your picture ID, and the election workers will set up a touchscreen voting machine to present you with the right ballot for your precinct. On election day, you’ll need to go to the right polling place. Did you know that you can also vote by mail? The deadline to apply for that is tomorrow, April 30.

Runoff election: Because there are so many candidates running for mayor, it’s likely that the top two candidates will face off in a runoff election on Saturday, June 13.

If you live in an incorporated city, such as Shavano Park or Alamo Heights, then you’ll be voting for that city’s mayor, not mayor of San Antonio.

Congratulations, you’re on your way to becoming a politically engaged citizen. Encourage your friends to vote, too. And, be sure to post a selfie with your “I voted” sticker.