Aside from electing a new mayor, San Antonio’s 10-member City Council is also headed for a shakeup next year as four longtime members leave their seats. The remaining six all face contested re-election bids.
Competitive races are already underway to replace Councilmembers Adriana Rocha Garcia (D4) and Melissa Cabello Havrda (D6), who’ve jumped over to the crowded race to replace Mayor Ron Nirenberg.
Two more rare council openings exist in District 8 and District 9, where Councilmen Manny Pelaez (D8) and John Courage (D9) are termed out after eight years. Both are also running for mayor.
All 10 seats will be on the ballot this year, with incumbents seeking reelection in Districts 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 10.
Visit the San Antonio Report’s 2025 Voter Guide to learn more about all 59 City Council candidates.
Council members elected in 2025 be the first to test out new longer terms — four years instead of two — making this May 3 municipal election even more important.
If no candidate reaches 50% of the vote on May 3, the top two finishers will move on to a June 7 runoff.
Candidates participated in a random drawing on Feb. 24 to determine the order they’ll appear on the ballot.
Now that the field is set, here’s a look at those seeking to stay on City Council, as well as the field of potential newcomers:
Information about the candidates is compiled from past coverage, campaign websites and campaign filing paperwork.
District 1 candidates
Councilwoman Sukh Kaur (D1) pulled off an upset as a political newcomer in 2023, defeating an embattled incumbent to represent most of downtown.
She’s an education consultant who brought a business perspective and centrist approach to the dais, but struggled to build a steady team in her office. She’s currently on her third chief of staff.
The district now includes some neighborhoods that were previously a part of Northside District 9, and one of those former D9ers, Greater Harmony Hills Neighborhood Association President Patty Gibbons, was the first to challenge Kaur this year, citing concerns about the city’s effort to bring urban density too close to legacy neighborhoods.
See the full list of District 1 candidates in our 2025 Voter Guide.
- Julisa Medrano-Guerra, who along with her husband own Paramour rooftop bar, which had been locked in a legal battle with its landlord
- Matthew Gauna, an environmental science student who has run unsuccessfully in District 1 in the past
- Ramiro Gonzales, a housing consultant and former City Hall staffer who previously led Prosper West, a nonprofit aimed at revitalizing the West Side
- Dominique “Domingo” Littwitz, an entrepreneur who has a business selling pizza-sized quesadillas
- Maureen Galindo, a family therapist and housing organizer who lives in the Soap Factory apartments, which are being razed to make way for a new Minor League Baseball stadium
- Susan Strawn, an attorney who worked as a prosecutor for the U.S. Department of Justice and served on the River Road Neighborhood Association board
- Anita Marie Kegley, a professional home inspector who has run for Congress as a Republican and leads the local Church and Politics political group
- Arnulfo Ortiz, an attorney who previously worked as a staffer in the Texas Legislature and U.S. Congress
District 2 candidates
Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez (D2) was one of two candidates endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America elected to the City Council in 2021. Known for his outspoken progressive views, he earned a speaking slot at the Texas Democratic Convention last year.
McKee-Rodriguez drew nine challengers in 2023, but was reelected with 56% of the vote.
See the full list of District 2 candidates on our 2025 Voter Guide.
- Sean Hanlin, who is self-employed
- Stephanie Powell, an Air Force civilian employee
- Carla-Joy Sisco, an information technology business relationship manager
- Bryant Livingston, a mortuary attendant and football announcer
- Kizzie Thomas, the principal at Essence Preparatory Public School
- Sonya Moore, who lists her profession as “unemployed”
- Rose Requenez Hill, a neighborhood leader who co-founded D2 President’s Round Table, a coalition of District 2 neighborhood groups, and ran unsuccessfully in District 2 in 2023
District 3 candidates
Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran (D3) was first elected in 2021, succeeding her sister Rebecca Viagran, who represented the district for eight years. She chairs the city council’s Audit Committee and is seeking a third term.
See the full list of District 3 candidates on our 2025 Voter Guide.
District 4 candidates
When Rocha Garcia threw her name in for mayor in August, longtime staffer Edward Mungia, who worked under both Rocha Garcia and Rey Saldaña and served on South San ISD’s board, was among the early candidates to replace her.
Former South San ISD Trustee Ernesto Arrellano Jr., who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for Bexar County Commissioner in Precinct 1, was also among the early comers.
In more recent weeks, Johnathon Cruz, the principal at McNair Middle School, and Jose “Pepe” Martinez, who owns a trucking company, have also submitted treasurer’s reports and filed to appear on the ballot. As did Gregorio De La Paz, who works in construction management and ran unsuccessfully in 2023.
See the full list of District 4 candidates on our 2025 Voter Guide.
District 5 candidates
Councilwoman Teri Castillo (D5) was among the new progressive voices elected in 2021. She was reelected to her Westside council seat with roughly 63% of the vote in 2023, and drew just two challengers this year:
See the full list of District 5 candidates on our 2025 Voter Guide.
District 6 candidates
The field is looking far different than it did six months ago, when a handful of prospective candidates made their pitches at a Thunderbird Hills Neighborhood Association Meeting.
At that point, Cabello Havrda was still months away from formally launching her mayoral campaign, but legislative staffer Donovon Rodriguez appeared to be a formidable potential successor.
Since then Rodriguez has folded his campaign, and eight other candidates have filed to appear on the ballot, including a former District 6 councilman who is once again attempting a political comeback.
See the full list of District 6 candidates on our 2025 Voter Guide.
- Vanessa Chavez, a former district director in D7 who also worked for Neighborhood Housing Services
- Kelly Ann Gonzalez, a progressive political organizer who worked for the union representing city employees
- Ric Galvan, a District 5 projects manager and progressive political organizer
- Carlos Antonio Raymond, a retired veteran
- Chris Baecker, an economics professor and leader in the activist group InfuseSA, which tracks city officials’ activity
- Bobby Herrera, who represented District 6 in the 1990s, lost the seat amid several scandals, and ran unsuccessfully again in 2019
- Gerald Lopez, a former Northside ISD board member who now serves on the Alamo Colleges Board of Trustees
- Lawson Alaniz-Picasso, a former District 1 staffer who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination in Bexar County’s Precinct 1 last year
District 7 candidates
Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito (D7) emerged from a crowded race in 2023 to represent this near West Side district, which has been a political launchpad for council members in the past.
She brought a loaded corporate resume and endorsements from pro-business groups, and has spent much of her first term focused on addressing problems at the city’s Animal Care Services Department.
See the full list of District 7 candidates on our 2025 Voter Guide.
District 8 candidates
The race to replace Pelaez is attracting some of the most attention, with candidates jockeying to represent the Northwest San Antonio district as early as last March. One potential contender, Pelaez’s mom, Marta Pelaez, decided not to run.
See the full list of District 8 candidates on our 2025 Voter Guide.
District 9 candidates
Though council races aren’t partisan, District 9 is regarded as one of the most conservative-leaning council district, long represented by Courage, a longtime Democratic activist.
The race to replace him has drawn one candidate from conservative circles, Misty Spears, who currently serves as Commissioner Grant Moody’s (Pct. 3) constituent services director and who ran unsuccessfully for District Clerk in 2022.
See the full list of District 9 candidates on our 2025 Voter Guide.
- Angi Taylor Aramburu, a fitness entrepreneur who was Democrats’ nominee for Texas House District 122 in 2022 and was endorsed by Courage
- Emily Joy Garza, who owns a permanent cosmetics company and is an animal welfare activist
- Daniel Mezza, an entrepreneur and Texas A&M graduate who founded “Puro Nitro Coffee”
- Celeste Tidwell, a former Democratic precinct chair who has run for office before in District 10
- April Chang, a nonprofit leader whose foundation created the inclusive playground Mitchell’s Landing
- Tristen Hoffman, a high school senior who plans to study economics
District 10 candidates
Councilman Marc Whyte (D10), the council’s lone conservative, had a rocky start with a DWI arrest months into the job.
While he appeared vulnerable after the 2023 arrest, so far this race he’s raised more money than many mayoral hopefuls and kept his loyal base of Northside neighborhood leaders on board.
See the full list of District 10 candidates on our 2025 Voter Guide.
