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Votes
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Ivalis Meza Gonzalez
Paula McGee
(182 / 182)
UPDATE at 10:00 p.m.: Ivalis Meza Gonzalez has defeated opponent Paula McGee in the runoff race for San Antonio City Council District 8.
Gonzalez led opponent McGee with 57.35% of the vote.
“We feel fantastic. We feel great,” Gonzalez told KSAT’s Avery Everett on election night. “All that work we did over the last 15 months brought us here.”
Gonzalez said the top priority is to ensure a smooth transition in District 8 by addressing any ongoing issues residents have with the councilmember’s office.
“I want to make sure that District 8 residents know that we’re working hard for them and that I’m working hard for them every day,” Gonzalez said.
In contrast, McGee expressed her disappointment but reflected positively on her campaign efforts.
“Well, I’m disappointed of course, but we I’m so proud of our campaign. I’m so thankful for our volunteers that were apart of it,” McGee said. “I’m really proud of all we accomplished and did. I’m surprised by the results at this point but we’re going to enjoy being together tonight and celebrate all we accomplished through the campaign.”
Bexar County Elections Administrator Michele Carew said there was a 17% voter turnout in this election. A total of 143,048 ballots were cast during eight days of early voting and on election day. Of those, 40,218 people voted on election day.
District 8 includes the Medical District and stretches toward Boerne along Interstate 10.
Gonzalez fills the council seat vacated by Manny Pelaez, who lost his bid for San Antonio mayor and reached the maximum of eight years.
BACKGROUND
Gonzalez has worked at the San Antonio River Authority and most recently served as Chief of Staff for the Office of Mayor Ron Nirenberg; she left the latter in December 2022, according to her LinkedIn.
“We’re ready to hit the ground running and represent the residents of District 8,” Gonzalez said during the May 3 election. “I know this community. I care about this community. I’m raising my kids here.”
Gonzalez cited public safety, economic development and improving infrastructure as top issues in District 8. She also expressed an interest in implementing more traffic-calming mechanisms, such as speed bumps and stop signs.
McGee, speaking with KSAT after the May 3 results came in, said she and her team would work “very hard” when preparing for the runoff.
McGee, a practicing attorney, has served on the San Antonio Zoning Commission, the Ethics Review Board and the Alamo Colleges Foundation board.
Like her opponent, McGee touts public safety and infrastructure as top issues for her constituents. Moreover, McGee feels proper management could help alleviate prolonged construction projects in the city.
“I wanna get in there and ask a lot of questions about how those (construction) contracts are being overseen,” McGee said. “We have to have construction because we need new infrastructure, but we need to manage it a lot better.”
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