Municipal Election 2021- Dates, Locations, and Ballot Measures
Municipal Election 2021
Local elections are even more important than state and national ones, yet voter turnout drops significantly. Whatever the reason, this election is too important to skip. The persons elected into office will make decisions that will affect all San Antonio residents whether they vote or not.
Here at Southwest Workers Union, our staff and board of directors encourage you to go out and vote. Lives are on the line. It’s not a catchphrase, it’s the truth. The pandemic is not over. The worsening impacts of the climate crisis continue and bring unknown perils like those seen during the winter storm that left most of San Antonio in the dark and in the cold. With police accountability on the ballot, the outcome of this election will determine how our city mitigates climate, social and racial justice. Who do you want to represent you and make decisions for you when our lives are on the line?
So what’s on the line?
Your ballot will include races for Mayor and your district’s City Councilperson; a ballot proposition addressing collective bargaining rights of the San Antonio Police Department; a proposed charter amendment allowing more flexibility in how the city uses bond dollars; and depending where you live, races for School Board trustees.
CITY COUNCIL
appoints City Manager
passes resolutions and ordinances
adopts budget
appoints advisory boards
focuses on provision and efficiency of basic city services, land use and development, infrastructure improvements, and economic development, among other issues.
MAYOR
presides over City Council meetings
appoints task forces as needed
presides over city ceremonies
represents the city in state, national & international affairs.
CITY MANAGER (appointed by City Council)
responsible for administration of the city
supervises city departments
implements policy decisions
prepares budget for City Council adoption and is responsible for its administration
appoints/removes officers & employees in the administrative service of the city not appointed by City Council.
Voters don’t elect the City Manager. This position of public trust is appointed by the City Council, however the search and hiring process is done under the public eye, and voters can make their opinions known to their councilmembers.
You can vote at any Bexar County polling location, both during Early Voting, April 19-27, and on Election Day, May 1
IMPORTANT DATES
Monday, April 19, 2021 FIRST DAY of Early Voting by personal appearance.
Tuesday, April 20, 2021 5pm - Deadline for Bexar County to receive an Application for a Mail Ballot. Friday,
April 23, 2021 The Office of the City Clerk and all Municipal Offices will be OPEN.
Tuesday, April 27, 2021 LAST DAY of Early Voting by personal appearance.
Saturday, May 1, 2021 ELECTION DAY FROM 7AM TO 7PM.
SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021 RUN-OFF ELECTION, IF NECESSARY
IMPORTANT ELECTION DATES
Thursday, May 6, 2021 LAST DAY to register to vote with Bexar County for the June 5, 2021 Run-off Election. Application must be postmarked no later than this day.
Monday, May 24, 2021 FIRST DAY of Early Voting by personal appearance for the June 5, 2021 Run-off Election.
Tuesday, May 25, 2021 5pm - Deadline for Bexar County to receive an Application for a Mail Ballot for the June 5, 2021 Run-off Election.
Monday, May 31, 2021 HOLIDAY. The Office of the City Clerk and all Municipal Offices will be CLOSED.
Tuesday, June 1, 2021 LAST DAY of Early Voting by personal appearance for the June 5, 2021 Run-off Election.
Saturday, June 5, 2021 ELECTION DAY FROM 7AM TO 7PM.
WAYS TO VOTE
VOTE BY MAIL BY APRIL 20
Requirements are any of the following
65 years or older
Sick or Disability.
Expected to be out of the county on election day.
Confinement in jail but eligible to vote.
If you apply to vote by mail, your application must be received, not postmarked, by April 20.
Applications delivered in person must be received by April 16.
You can get an application to vote by mail: by phone—call 210-335-8683 to request a form, online—print an application at elections.bexar.org or in person—at Bexar County Elections Dept.
After you've received and completed your vote by mail application, send it to Bexar County Elections Early Voting Clerk 1103 S. Frio St., Suite 200
San Antonio, TX 78207-6328
Once you’ve received your mail in ballot, a completed mail ballot must be returned to the Bexar County Clerk’s Office in the Official Carrier Envelope provided to you in any of the following manners:
Regular residential mail via United States Postal Service.
In-person drop off at Bexar County Elections Office 1103 S. Frio
You will be asked to show an acceptable photo ID. A ballot will be mailed to you. Complete and return it as early as possible.
Ballot Deadline: Ballots sent by mail must be postmarked by 7 p.m. May 1 and received before 5 p.m. on May 3 at the Bexar County Elections Department. You can deliver your own ballot in person to the Bexar County Elections Department only on Election Day, Saturday, May 1, 7a.m.–7 p.m. You will be asked to show acceptable photo ID.
Note:The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that voters can take their lack of immunity into consideration when determining whether, considered along with other health factors, they qualify as having a disability, and thus, qualifying them for a mail-in ballot. The Supreme Court also said county election officials have no responsibility to question or investigate a mail-in ballot application that is valid on its face.
For additional information, please call 210-335-0362.
EARLY VOTE
Voting early and “safer” is encouraged. You may vote from any polling location and lines are usually shorter. Early voting runs from April 19 to April 27. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays historically see less traffic.
Early voting hours are as follows:
Monday, April 19 through Friday, April 23 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 24, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 25, CLOSED
Monday, April 26 through Tuesday, April 27 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Early Voting Locations Are As Follows:
BEXAR COUNTY ELECTION DEPARTMENT………….…………....………..…1103 S. Frio
DEAFLINK available BROOKHOLLOW LIBRARY……………………………530 Heimer Rd.
CASTLE HILLS CITY HALL… (Community Room)…………………………....209 Lemonwood Dr.
CLAUDE BLACK CENTER………..2805 East Commerce
CODY LIBRARY………………………………………….…………………..11441 Vance Jackson
COLLINS GARDEN LIBRARY…………………….…………….. 200 North Park
CONVERSE SENIOR CENTER (Old Converse City Hall)…………… 405 S. Seguin
COPERNICUS COMMUNITY CENTER…………….……….…… 5003 Lord Rd.
CORTEZ LIBRARY……………………………………………………..2803 Hunter
ENCINO LIBRARY……………………………..……..….……2515 East Evans Rd.
GREAT NORTHWEST LIBRARY………….…………….9050 Wellwood
HELOTES CITY HALL…………………………….......……..12951 Bandera Rd.
HENRY A. GUERRA, JR. LIBRARY......................……………….7978 W Military Drive
JOHN IGO LIBRARY…………............................................13330 Kyle Seale Parkway
JOHNSTON LIBRARY……………………………. 6307 Sun Valley Drive
JULIA YATES SEMMES LIBRARY @ Comanche Lookout Park…………....15060 Judson Rd.
KIRBY CITY HALL…………………………….. 112 Bauman St.
LAS PALMAS LIBRARY……………………………………………………….515 Castroville Rd.
LEON VALLEY CONFERENCE CENTER…………………………...………….6421 Evers Rd. LION’S FIELD………………………………………………………...2809 Broadway
MAURY MAVERICK, JR. LIBRARY…………………………………8700 Mystic Park
MCCRELESS LIBRARY……………………………………….…………….. 1023 Ada St.
MISSION LIBRARY......................................................................3134 Roosevelt Ave.
NORTHSIDE ACTIVITY CENTER.................................................7001 Culebra Rd.
NORTHWEST VISTA COLLEGE (Mountain Laurel Hall - Rm 108 A-3535 N. Ellison Dr.
PALO ALTO COLLEGE (Performing Arts Center)................1400 W. Villaret Blvd.
PARMAN LIBRARY@STONE OAK.....................................20735 Wilderness Oak
SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE (Victory Center)…........…….…...............……..………..1819 N. Main
SCHAEFER LIBRARY.................................6322 US Hwy 87 E.
SHAVANO PARK CITY HALL.......................................................................... 900 Saddletree Ct.
SOMERSET CITY HALL ..........................................................7360 E. 6th, Somerset
ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY (AT&T Center for Information Technology (Rm108)...... One Camino Santa Maria
TOBIN LIBRARY @OAKWELL………………….........................4134 Harry Wurzbach
UNIVERSAL CITY LIBRARY……………….………………. 100 Northview Dr.
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SAN ANTONIO……………………….………1 UTSA Blvd.
WINDCREST TAKAS PARK CIVIC CENTER………………….….9310 Jim Seal Dr.
WONDERLAND MALL OF THE AMERICAS @ CROSSROADS ..........4522 Fredericksburg Rd.
This is all subject to change.
CURBSIDE VOTING
Anybody with symptoms related to COVID-19, trouble walking, standing for long periods of time and illness should curbside vote. Curbside voting has always been an option. An Election judge will bring you a voting tablet curbside so that you may enter your selections from inside your vehicle. Expect a longer wait than in person voting. You must contact the elections department by calling ahead.
IN PERSON ELECTION DAY MAY 1
The last day to vote in this year's city election is Saturday May 1 from 7 am to 7 pm. Remember to:
Wear a mask and gloves.
Practice social distancing
Make the best decision for you and your loved ones.
Sanitize and wash your hands after voting.
Take a cute selfie and send to @swujustice on instagram (optional but encouraged)
VOTE SAFER
Hand sanitizer will be stocked at all polling sites, according to Bexar County Elections officials.
Plastic gloves will be provided and are allowed to touch voting machines.
Pencil erasers may be used as a stylist to mark selections.
Be proactive. Self screen for COVID-19 symptoms before going to the polls.
Stay 6 feet away from other people and wear a mask!
LOCAL BALLOT MEASURES
Remember along with electing officials, ballot measures which are pieces of proposed legislation to be approved or rejected by eligible voters. Ballot measures are also known as "propositions" or simply "questions".
PROP A
Shall the City Charter be amended to allow the city to issue bonds for permanent public improvements or any other public purpose, not prohibited by the Texas Constitution or the general laws of the state of Texas, to include affordable housing programs in scope and breadth as determined by ordinance of the City Council following an election on that matter?
Background:
Under the current charter, the city of San Antonio may use the funds raised by issuing bonds for “public works.” These funds are restricted for infrastructure and other public facilities. Currently, bond dollars are being used to build or rebuild streets, drainage, sidewalks and other infrastructure projects. Although bond elections can be called at any time, generally, every five years the voters approve or disapprove if the city can issue bonds to fund certain projects. In a bond election, each part of a bond issue is a separate proposition, so people can choose to support project A and reject project B. The last time voters approved issuing of bonds was in 2017. The next time voters are likely to be asked to approve bonds is in 2022.
NORTHWEST VISTA COLLEGE (Mountain Laurel Hall - Rm 108 A-3535 N. EllisonDr. onds, by subsequent elections, for acquiring properties for land banking, paying for home rehabilitation projects, helping to pay for new construction and paying for other economic development initiatives including affordable housing. An “Against” vote will keep the current requirement that bonds are restricted to acquiring, constructing, and improving public works, such as roads, sidewalks, drainage, parks, libraries and police and fire stations. A
PROP B
This proposition takes aim at police accountability which has swept the nation after a slew of murders by police officers involving unarmed Black civilians. Locally the group known as “Fix SAPD” attained 20,000 signatures to put this proposition on the ballot, as our city grapples with police reform. In short the proposition wants to hold bad police officers accountable and if terminated due to misconduct, this measure would work to prohibit them from rejoining the police force.The longer explanation is as follows.
Repeal of the adoption of the state law applicable to city of San Antonio police officers that establishes collective bargaining if a majority of the affected employees favor representation by an employees association, preserves the prohibition against strikes and lockouts, and provides penalties for strikes and lockouts.
Background:
Currently, under Chapter 174 of Texas state law, cities are allowed to negotiate with police and firefighter unions through collective bargaining to determine compensation, hours, and other conditions of employment. Chapter 174 also contains a provision that prohibits strikes and lockouts and authorizes penalties for such activity. San Antonio and several other Texas cities use collective bargaining in police negotiations, while about the same number of other cities use a method called meet-and-confer. Some others do not have contracts with police unions. Explanation:
A “For” vote on this proposition will repeal collective bargaining and remove the authority (awarded in a 1974 vote) of the San Antonio Police Officers Association to negotiate wages, benefits and policies with the city. An “Against” vote would keep collective bargaining and ensure that the San Antonio Police Officers Association will continue to represent officers in the negotiation of wages, benefits and policies with the city. This includes holding police officers accountable for excessive force and misconduct or not.
“The future of policing in San Antonio should be transparent, fair, and accountable to the community."
IMPORTANT
You must present an acceptable form of photo identification.
If you do not possess and cannot reasonably obtain one of these IDs, you may fill out a declaration at the polls describing a reasonable “impediment” to obtaining it, and show a copy or original of one of the following supporting forms of ID:
A government document that shows your name and an address, including your voter registration certificate.
Current utility bill.
Bank statement.
Government check, paycheck
A certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate
A document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes your identity (which may include a foreign birth document).
For additional information please contact SWU @ 210-701-2212 or staff@swunion.org
