Prop B fails, Nirenberg reelected, 5 council races head to runoff after record-setting election in San Antonio

Proposition B was the most controversial and closest race of May 1, 2021 San Antonio election

. (KSAT)

SAN ANTONIO – Despite heavy rains and flooding, more than 50,000 voters cast ballots on election day adding to a record number of early voters to total the best turnout for a May election in San Antonio’s history with more than 17% of eligible voters casting a ballot.

Voters were driven to the polls largely by a contentious proposition related to policing and the mayor’s race. The mayor’s race was called relatively early in the night, after early vote totals were released, while Proposition B was too close to call until right up to the end.

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Proposition B, aimed at repealing the San Antonio police union’s right to collectively bargain with the City of San Antonio, was the most controversial race and the closest. The measure narrowly failed to pass with 51% voting against it.

In the race for mayor, incumbent Ron Nirenberg had an easy victory despite having 13 opponents. Greg Brockhouse, his closest competitor, could not force the race into a runoff, unlike in 2019.

Proposition A, which allows more flexibility in what kind of projects the city can fund with bond money, passed with 58% of the vote.

Half of the City Council races were decided on election night with five incumbents retaining their seats. The other five council district races will go to a runoff on June 5 with three incumbents facing challengers.

Winners were declared in the following races:

  • District 4: Incumbent Adriana Rocha Garcia won with 70% of the vote.
  • District 6: Incumbent Melissa Cabello Havrda won with 55% of the vote.
  • District 7: Incumbent Ana Sandoval won with 71% of the vote.
  • District 8: Incumbent Manny Palaez won with 59% of the vote.
  • District 10: Incumbent Clayton Perry won with 54% of the vote.

The following races will head to a runoff on June 5:

Early voting for the runoff runs May 24 to June 1. Election day is June 5.

Click here to see all of the election results in Bexar County and the surrounding areas.


About the Authors:

Julie Moreno has worked in local television news for more than 25 years. She came to KSAT as a news producer in 2000. After producing thousands of newscasts, she transitioned to the digital team in 2015. She writes on a wide variety of topics from breaking news to trending stories and manages KSAT’s daily digital content strategy.