Dec 10, 2025 City Council B Session

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>> MAYOR JONES: GOOD AFTERNOON. THE TIME IS NOW 2:02 P.M.

ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10TH, 2025, AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO B SESSION IS CALLED TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL

ROLL. >> CLERK:

[ BRIEFING ONLY  ]

>> MAYOR JONES: GREAT. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. THIS B SESSION HAS ONE ITEM FOR DISCUSSION. WE -- AS MY COLLEAGUES KNOW, WE HAVE A TIME SENSITIVE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW WHETHER WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER. THIS IS NOT A DECISION WE MAKE LIGHTLY, EVEN WITH THE TIME-SENSITIVE DEADLINE IMPOSED ON US BY THE RECENT CHANGES IN LEGISLATION. THERE IS A STAFF PRESENTATION, AND THEN I KNOW WE HAVE SEVERAL EXPERTS, VOTING RIGHTS GROUPS, ET CETERA, THAT WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PROVIDE REMARKS.

SO WITH THAT, OVER TO YOU, ERIK, FOR STAFF PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU. >> WALSH: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO AS THE MAYOR LAID OUT, WE HAVE 1-B SESSION ITEM ON TODAY TO TALK ABOUT POTENTIALLY MOVING THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYORAL ELECTIONS FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER OF ODD-NUMBERED YEARS. THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIES, INCLUDING OUR CITY, IS OPEN UNTIL THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, FOLLOWING ACTION FROM THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION. IT'S AN OPTION, IT'S NOT A MANDATE FROM THE LEGISLATURE. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AND DISCUSSION THIS AFTERNOON.

I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JOHN TO DO THE S STAFF PRESENTATION.

>> THANK YOU, ERIK. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

JOHN PA TER RICK, ASSISTANT CITY COUNCIL. I STAND BEFORE YOU BECAUSE OF THE PAST CHARTER REVISION WORK. THERE'S SOME CONNECTIONS TO WHAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING TODAY. THAT'S WHY I'M BEFORE YOU. TODAY WE'RE GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE ABILITY TO MOVE YOU ALL'S GENERAL ELECTIONS FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER.

SO IN THE MOST RECENT STATE LEGISLATURE, THERE WAS A CHANGE TO THE LAW THAT ALLOWED FOR THIS MOVE. THAT CHANGE WAS FILED BY FOUR DALLAS AREA LEGISLATORS, SO SENATORS JOHN SORND AND WEST, REPRESENTATIVE ANCHIA AND ROSE, AND AFTER DALLAS VOTERS APPROVED PROPOSITION D WHICH AMENDED THE CITY CHARTER TO HOLD ELECTIONS ACCORDING TO STATE LAW RATHER THAN IN MAY. SO THIS STATE LAW WAS CARRIED BY THOSE DALLAS LEGISLATORS, THE FOLKS WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON IT, THERE WERE SOME DALLAS CITY COUNCILMEMBERS, SO THERE WAS A STRONG TIE TO DALLAS WITH THIS LAW, BUT IT ALLOWS FOR OTHER CITIES TO MAKE THIS CHANGE AS WELL. SO -- IN 2024, THE CITY CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE CITY ELECTIONS AROUND TERM LIMITS, BUT DID NOT MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING MOVING THE ELECTION DATE. THERE WERE NO OTHER CITIES THAT WERE OPPOSED TO THIS BILL EITHER, AND SO IT PASSED AND IT'S IN EFFECT, AND IT ALLOWED DALLAS TO CHANGE THEIR DATE. SO THIS BILL WAS PERMISSIVE, MEANING IT DID NOT MANDATE A CHANGE, BUT RATHER IT EXTENDED A PREVIOUS DEADLINE IN STATE LAW FOR CITIES TO MOVE THEIR ELECTION DATE VOLUNTARILY. SO THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION IS HIGHLIGHTED HERE, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED FIVE TIMES IN THE PAST 20 YEARS, SO IN 2005, 2009, 2011, 2015 AND 2025.

IT WAS ALSO AMENDED IN 2017 AND 2023, BRACKETED TO SPECIFIC CITIES.

THIS TIME IT WAS NOT BRACKETED TO A SPECIFIC CITY.

ADDITIONALLY, I WOULD HIGHLIGHT ON THIS SLIDE, IF THIS COUNCIL PASSES A RESOLUTION BY THE DEADLINE TO MOVE OUR ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER, THE DATE CANNOT BE MOVED BACK TO MAY AFTER THAT RESOLUTION IS PASSED.

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IN THIS CASE, WE'D CHANGE IT TO, SAY, THE FIRST DAY OF DECEMBER.

THE SECOND REFERENCE IS A TEMPORARY PROVISION THAT'S IN THE CHARTER BASED ON OUR MOVE FROM TWO-YEAR TERMS TO FOUR-YEAR TERMS. SO IT REFERENCES A MAY SPECIAL ELECTION DATE IN 2031, WHICH WILL BE NECESSARY FOR SOME OF YOU. WE WOULD NEED TO CHANGE THE CHARTER, WHEN WE CAN, TO NOVEMBER OF 2031, SO THAT THAT'S NOT IN CONFLICT AS WELL. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO CURRENT SPECIFIC CHARTER CHANGES THAT WOULD NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.

LAST WEEK THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS AROUND RUNOFF ELECTIONS AND HOW THAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THIS CHANGE WERE TO BE MADE, SO THE ELECTION CODE SPECIFICALLY STATES HOW RUNOFFS ARE HELD. SO NO EARLIER THAN THE 30TH DAY AND NO LATER THAN THE 45TH DAY AFTER THE GENERAL ELECTION AND IT EXCLUDES HOLIDAYS. I KNOW THAT'S BEEN A QUESTION. SO THE SECRETARY OF STATE, WHEN WE GET CLOSER TO THOSE DAYS, WILL SET OUT THE ELECTION CALENDAR FOR WHEN THOSE RUNOFFS WILL BE.

IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE CITY WILL NEED TO CANVASS THOSE RESULTS, SO WE WOULD BUILD A CALENDAR AROUND THOSE CANVASSINGS IF THIS CHANGE IS MADE.

THERE ARE SOME OTHER EXAMPLE CITIES HERE THAT WERE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION, AUSTIN. SO AUSTIN IS CURRENTLY IN NOVEMBER OF EVEN YEARS.

WHEN THEY MADE THIS CHANGE, THEY TAKE OFFICE IN JANUARY, JUST AN EXAMPLE FOR YOU TO HAVE AS A REFERENCE. MESQUITE, THEY HOLD ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER OF ODD-NUMBERED YEARS. THEY TAKE OFFICE PRETTY QUICKLY, AND THEN HAVE -- IN THIS EXAMPLE, HAD RUNOFFS IN DECEMBER, SO, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THE SECOND TUESDAY ELECTION AND THEN NOVEMBER 17TH TAKING OFFICE. AND DALLAS, WHICH RECENTLY MADE THIS CHANGE WILL TAKE OFFICE THE -- FOLKS TAKE OFFICE. LAST WEEK THERE WERE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ASKED ABOUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WERE IN ODD-NUMBERED YEARS OF MAY. SO THIS LIST ILLUSTRATES THOSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SO NORTHSIDE, SAN ANTONIO, JUDSON, ALAMO HEIGHTS, HARLANDALE, SOUTH SIDE AND MEDINA VALLEY. I WOULD NOTE THAT THE STATE ELECTION LAW SAYS THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHALL, SO THEY MUST, HAVE THEIR ELECTIONS ON THE SAME DATE AS THE NUMBER OF POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS. SO IN THIS CASE ANY GOVERNING BODY OF A MUNICIPALITY LOCATED IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. IF THERE IS A STATE OR COUNTY OFFICERS ELECTION, THEY MUST COLOCATE THEIR ELECTION, A HOSPITAL DISTRICT, A JUNIOR SCHOOL DISTRICT OR A COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT.

SO THERE ARE SOME SPECIFICS THAT THESE ISDS WILL HAVE TO TAKE INTO EFFECT IF THIS CHANGE IS MADE HERE TODAY. ALSO LAST WEEK THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS AROUND OUR MOST RECENT ELECTIONS AND THE COST OF THOSE ELECTIONS. SO THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS WHAT WE'VE SPENT IN 2023 FOR OUR GENERAL AND CHART ERELECTION, TO INCLUDE THE RUNOFF NECESSARY FOR THAT 2023 ELECTION. YOU CAN SEE THE $623,000 FOLLOWED BY THE $220,000 FOR THE RUNOFF. AD DITIONZLY, WE HAD A CHARTER ELECTION IN NOVEMBER OF 2024, THE COST OF THAT ELECTION IS $1.3 MILLION.

AND THEN THE MOST RECENT CYCLE, 2025, $470,000 FOR THE GENERAL, AND THEN THE $1.1 MILLION ESTIMATE -- THAT NUMBER ISN'T FINALIZED YET -- FOR THE RUNOFF. THE FOLLOWING SLIDE IS A CHART THAT ILLUSTRATES THAT EACH OF YOU WILL NEED AN EXTRA SIX MONTHS IN OFFICE IF THIS CHANGE IS MADE. THE STATE LAW ALLOWS FOR THIS HOLDOVER PROVISION, BUT BEGINNING IN 2029, DISTRICT TWO, 3 AND 5 WOULD NEED THE ADDITIONAL MONTHS FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER. IN 2031, THERE'S ALREADY A SCHEDULED SPECIAL ELECTIONS FOR DISTRICTS 1, 7 AND 10.

SO THAT SPECIAL ELECTION WOULD NEED TO BE PUSHED BACK FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER FOR THOSE EXTRA SIX MONTHS, AND THEN FINALLY DISTRICTS 4, 6, 8, 9 AND THE MAYOR WOULD HAVE THAT SAME EXTRA SIX MONTHS IN 2033.

SO NEXT STEPS FOR THIS ITEM, FOR ANY CHANGE TO TAKE PLACE WITH THIS CURRENT LEGISLATIVE OPENING, DECEMBER 31ST, 2025, IS THE DEADLINE.

SO A RESOLUTION WOULD HAVE TO BE PASSED BY THIS COUNCIL BY THEN.

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WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, JOHN. THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE LEGISLATION AND ITS -- CERTAINLY THE HISTORY OF IT, BUT ALSO THE LEGISLATION. FRANKLY PROUD OF THE FACT BOTH FOR THE SENATE BILL 1494 AND FOR THE HOUSE BILL 3546, EVERY MEMBER OF THE BEXAR COUNTY DELEGATION, EVERY MEMBER, REGARDLESS OF PARTY, SUPPORTED BOTH OF THOSE BILLS UNANIMOUSLY. I WILL ALSO SAY, NOT REFLECTED IN THE PRESENTATION, THE OTHER REASON THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONSIDER, IF WE DO NOT MAKE THIS CHANGE, WE WILL BE OF THE BIG FOUR, THE ONLY IN TEXAS THAT DOES NOT HAVE -- THAT STILL HAS RATHER MUNICIPAL ELECTION IN MAY. HOUSTON HAS HAD THEIR MUNICIPAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER OF AN OFFYEAR FOR SEVERAL DECADES. AUSTIN HAS IT NOVEMBER OF AN ON-YEAR, AND THEN AS YOU HEARD, DALLAS JUST MADE THE CHANGE.

LET ME JUST SAY FOR FOLKS THAT ARE WATCHING THAT ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND NOT ONLY AS JOHN JUST POINTED OUT, THIS HAPPENED EARLIER THIS SUMMER, WE BECAME AWARE OF THIS -- AT LEAST I DID -- THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER, WHEN I READ ABOUT DALLAS' EFFORTS TO -- AND UNANIMOUSLY, THEIR CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO UPDATE THIS.

READ ABOUT IT, READ, AGAIN, THE VERY SHORT TIMELINE, BUT, AGAIN, THE VERY CLEAR BENEFITS OF DOING THIS, THAT WERE AT LEAST WORTHY OF CONVERSATION BY THIS BODY GIVEN THE SPECIFIC IMPACT AND THE TIME-SENSITIVE NATURE. SO BEFORE WE BEGIN COUNCIL DISCUSSION, I KNOW THERE ARE SEVERAL, AGAIN, GROUPS THAT HAVE WORKED ON THIS FOR QUITE A BIT, AS WELL AS FRANKLY, GROUPS THAT HAVE SOME CONSIDERATIONS THAT THEY WANT EXPLICITLY TO ADDRESS BEFORE THIS BODY.

SO LET ME BRING THOSE FOLKS UP. AND THEN I WOULD ASK MY COLLEAGUES, YOUR QUESTIONS TO THOSE, IF YOU WOULD KEEP DURING YOUR COUNCIL TIME, WHICH WE WILL GET TO, BUT WE'LL GET THROUGH ALL THESE PRESENTATIONS, AND THEN MOVE TO COUNCIL DISCUSSION.

SO THE FIRST PERSON WE'RE HAPPY TO BRING UP, JULIA GRIZARD, UNLIKE DALLAS, WHO ONLY HAS ONE ISD, WE HAVE 17. SO WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT TO THE ISDS; HOWEVER, IT IS -- YEAH.

WHILE IT WASN'T SPECIFICALLY NOTED IN JOHN PATEREK'S PRESENTATION, THE ISD'S HAVE A DIFFERENT TIMELINE THAN WE DO, AND CERTAINLY THERE IS ALSO THEIR OWN OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE STEPS TO MOVE THEIR DI -- THEIR ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER. OKAY.

MRS. GRIZARD. THANK YOU. >> YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND THE CONSIDERATION IN TALKING ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE OF WHERE WE ARE FOR ISDS.

REALLY MY HOPE IS TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE, BUT THE GOAL IS JUST TO SHARE THE CURRENT STATE OF WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR ELECTIONS, WHO IS IN MAY OF ODD YEARS. WE DO HAVE SOUTHWEST ON THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE, AND I CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL HAVE COPIES OF IT AS WELL. THEY HAVE ELECTIONS EVERY YEAR, AS JOHN MENTIONED, THE REQUIREMENT TO HAVE JOINT ELECTIONS. AND THEN I DID INCLUDE -- THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM A LOT OF OFFICES ASKING ABOUT THE POTENTIAL IMPACT. SO AS ELECTIONS ARE PAID -- EVERYBODY PAYS FOR ALL POLLING LOCATIONS. WE PAY BASED ON A PERCENTAGE. THAT IF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DID MOVE, THAT PERCENTAGE WOULD BE REALLOCATED OR POTENTIALLY OUR DISTRICTS WOULD NOT HAVE AS MANY POLLING SITES OPEN. THOSE ARE THE ESTIMATES.

AGAIN, IT'S HARD TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS AS A RESULT IF THE CITY MOVES.

AND IF THEY DECIDE TO STAY IN MAY OR IF THEY MOVE TO NOVEMBER, BUT THAT IS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE PROPOSED TO ME.

BUT, AGAIN, HAPPEN TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE CONSIDERATION AND TALKING MORE ABOUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

>> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. GO AHEAD, JOHN, DID YOU

WANT TO -- >> NO, NO, I WAS JUST --

>> OH, YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MAYOR JONES: I THINK, IF IT'S OKAY, WE'LL GO THROUGH EACH OF THE PRESENTATIONS AND THEN -- ALLOW COUNCILMEMBERS DURING YOUR QUESTION TIME TO BRING UP WHOEVER YOU'D

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LIKE TO BRING UP FOR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. >> SURE.

ABSOLUTELY. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU.

SO THE NEXT PERSON WE'LL HEAR FROM IS VALERIE REFFERT, SHE'S THE COFOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF RADICAL REGISTRARS, NONPARTISAN, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FORMED AFTER THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD, TAILOR AND OTHER PEOPLE IN 2020. IN RESPONSE TO THESE TRAGEDIES THEY'RE WORKING FOR YOUTH-LED, YOUTH-FOCUSED VOTER

REGISTRATION. . >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME, MAYOR. HELLO, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS VALERIE REFFERT. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO, I'M A COFOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT RADICAL REGISTRAR WHERE WE DO NONPARTISAN YEAR-ROUND VOTER REGISTRATION AND CIVIC EDUCATION HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. SORRY ABOUT THAT, I WAS GETTING A CALL.

YEAH, WE HAVE A MISSION TO EMPOWER, ENGAGE AND EDUCATE VOTERS THROUGH CIVIC EDUCATION AND VOTER MOBILIZATION THROUGHOUT CENTRAL TEXAS WITH A VISION TO CREATE A GENERATION OF INFORMED AND EMPOWERED YOUTH, BIPOC, LGBTQ PLUS AND MARGINALIZED FOLKS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE VOTER INFORMED FOR EVERY SINGLE ELECTION. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I AM IN FULL SUPPORT OF MOVING THE ELECTIONS FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE FELT WAS NECESSARY SINCE RADICAL REGISTRARS BEGAN FIVE YEARS AGO. I BELIEVE TO GET SOMETHING YOU'VE NEVER HAD, YOU MUST DO SOMETHING YOU'VE NEVER DONE, AND I BELIEVE FOR SAN ANTONIO TO BE A HIGH VOTER TURNOUT CITY, THAT THIS IS A FIRST STEP IN DOING SO. AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THE POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS THAT IT CAN HAVE FOR THE CITY AS WELL. ULTIMATELY, I BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE WHO WANT TO KEEP THE ELECTIONS IN MAY OVER NOVEMBER WILL BE BENEFITING FROM STATUS QUO AND NOT ALLOWING A MORE DIVERSE ELECTORATE TO BE ABLE TO COME OUT AND HAVE THEIR VOICES BE HEARD.

AND LIKE I SAID, I AM 100% IN SUPPORT OF MOVING THE ELECTIONS. I THINK IT'S A GREAT MOVE FOR THE CITY FISCALLY IN ALLOWING CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO VOTE, BECAUSE AS YOU GUYS KNOW, YOU AREN'T ABLE TO GET YOUR JOBS OR KEEP YOUR JOBS WITHOUT PEOPLE SHOWING UP AND VOTING. SO I HOPE YOU ALL WILL CONSIDER MOVING THEM FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME

TODAY. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THE NEXT PRESENT FOR IS MANUEL GARZA, HE'S THE FIELD DIRECTOR AT SOUTHWEST VOTER REGISTRATION EDUCATION PROJECT. IT'S THE OLDEST NONPROFIT 501(C)3 EMPOWERING LATINOS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. TO MOBILIZE VOTERS.

SOUTHWEST VOTER REGISTRATION EDUCATION PROJECT HAS REGISTERED 3.6 LATINOS, TRAINED 160,000 LEADERS AND 210 VOTING RIGHTS LAWSUITS.

MR. GARZA? >> GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR ORTIZ-JONES, CITY COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS MANUEL GARZA, I'M WITH THE COMPANY, A FIELD DIRECTOR AND SENIOR ADVISER. AS THE MAYOR STATED, WE WERE ESTABLISHED IN 1974 BY MR. WILLIE VELASQUEZ AND WE HAVE REGISTERED, YOU KNOW, 3.7 MILLION LATINOS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND WE'VE WON 210 LAWSUITS AND WE HAVE TRAINED 160,000 LEADERS TO RUN FOR OFFICE AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS. ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FIVE, MY FAMILY IS A LIFELONG SAN ANTONIAN FAMILY, 12 GENERATIONS, TEJANO, AND WE'RE PROUD VOTERS. AND SO SOUTHWEST VOTER URGES SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE MAYOR'S RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS MOVED TO NOVEMBER, AND A NEED FOR ELECTION DATE ON ODD YEAR AS PER SENATE BILL 1494. BY MOVING THE ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER, SAN ANTONIO WILL ENJOY AN INCREASED VOTER PARTICIPATION COMPARED TO MAY. ADDITIONALLY IT WILL SAVE POTENTIALLY ANYWHERE FROM $800,000 TO $1 MILLION. ENACTED BY THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, IT PROVIDES THE MUNICIPALITIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE THE ELECTIONS FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER. FOR SAN ANTONIO COUNCIL TO IMPLEMENT THE CHANGE, THE COUNCIL MUST APPROVE IT. AND IT'S BEST YOU APPROVE IT NOW, BY THE END OF THE YEAR, ON DECEMBER 31ST. HOUSTON HAS CONDUCTED THEIR ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER FOR DECADES, SINCE BEFORE 1968 THAT I KNOW OF. HAVING DONE VOTING RIGHTS CASES BASICALLY SINCE I WAS 16 YEARS OLD. SO I KNOW HOUSTON DOES THAT.

AGAIN, AUSTIN CHANGED THEIR -- DISTRICTS WHEN THEY WENT TO AT LARGE, AND THAT WAS A BATTLE IN ITSELF, BUT ANYWAY, THEY CHANGED IT.

DALLAS RECENTLY DID THAT WITH A VOTE OF 70% OR MORE.

AND SO THAT HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER. AND SO, AGAIN,

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I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. >> MAYOR JONES: THE NEXT SPEAKER IS GRACIELA SAN CHAZ, SHE'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ESPARANZA

PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER. >> MY NAME IS GRACIELA SANCHEZ, I'M BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, ALSO IN DISTRICT FIVE. I RUN THE ESPARANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER WHICH IS A CITYWIDE ORGANIZATION, AND YOU'VE SEEN ME HERE BEFORE.

AND I LOVE MY CITY, I LOVE MY CITY LIKE YOU LOVE YOUR CITY.

I LOVE THE PEOPLE HERE, AND IT'S VERY WORKING-CLASS COMMUNITY.

AND IT'S PREDOMINANTLY BLACK AND BROWN. I'M LOVING THE COUNCIL, BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE ASIAN REPRESENTATION AS WELL. BUT WE HAVE A LOW VOTER TURNOUT, AND IT'S DISMAL, DISMAL, DISMAL, AND IT HAS BEEN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. AND I'VE BEEN COMING TO COUNCIL FOR OVER 40 YEARS. MY FIRST JOB WAS AT SOUTHWEST VOTER REGISTRATION EDUCATION PROJECT. I WORKED WITH WILLIE VELASQUEZ, I ALSO WORKED AT M.A.L.D.E.F., I WORKED WITH AL KAUFMAN, I WORKED WITH ALL THE GREATS, THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS AND ATTORNEYS, AND I LEARNED FROM THEM. I ACTUALLY -- BEFORE THERE WERE COMPUTERS, I WAS DOING REDISTRICTING FOR LUBBOCK, FOR MIDLAND, FOR BIG SPRING, FOR ALL THESE COMMUNITIES , TRYING TO GET SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS.

ANY WAY TO EXPAND THE VOTERS, RIGHT? SO HERE WE ARE WITH THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THE VOTER BASE. IT'S A VOTER BASE THAT'S -- THAT'S -- DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, INDEPENDENCE, AN AR CASTS, IT'S ANYBODY THAT WE CAN GET TO COME OUT TO VOTE.

AND WE WANT TO DO AS MANY DIFFERENT THINGS TO GET THE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT AND VOTE. SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT SITS BEFORE ALL OF YOU TODAY, AND WHEN YOU VOTE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY. WE CANNOT LOSE THIS OPPORTUNITY.

IT IS NOT A VOTE IN FAVOR OR AGAINST THE MAYOR, RIGHT? THIS HAS GOT TO BE -- ALL OF US HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, THIS IS ABOUT STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY. STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY. SO I ASK YOU ALL TO CONSIDER THIS. I THINK -- YESTERDAY I WAS ABLE TO GO TO THE DISTRICT FIVE HISTORIC WEST SIDE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION, AND THERE WERE ABOUT 50 ADULTS AND ABOUT FIVE KIDS, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS.

AND AT THE END, SOMEBODY SAID, LET'S RAISE OUR HANDS TO SEE WHO SUPPORTS THIS. AND EVERYBODY'S HAND STOOD UP -- WENT UP.

AND I TOOK THAT PICTURE AND I SENT IT TO TERI, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ALL WANT TO HEAR FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS. AND MAYBE THIS IS THE ONLY WAY AT THIS MOMENT, BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT DEADLINE, AND WE CAN'T LOSE THIS OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THAT OUR STATE LEGISLATION -- LEGISLATORS ARE GOING TO DO THIS AGAIN.

SO WHY WAIT? LET US EXPAND THE VOTER BASE, LET US EXPAND THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE, ALL DISTRICTS, ALL OF US WARRANT TO HAVE MORE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS INVOLVED AND ENGAGED. SO DO NOT LOSE THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND WHAT WE DO KNOW IS IT'S ABOUT CONSOLIDATING OF DIFFERENT ELECTIONS, SO, YES, THERE'S THE CONCERN ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, LET THEM COME IN. THEY HAVE TIME TO JOIN IN. THE ALAMO COLLEGE DISTRICTS, ALL THE OTHER ELECTIONS, THEY COULD ALL COME IN IN NOVEMBER. BECAUSE WHAT I HEARD YESTERDAY IS PEOPLE FEEL CONFUSED ABOUT HAVING TO GO IN MARCH AND THEN IN MAY AND THEN -- YOU KNOW, AGAIN FOR OTHER MOMENTS, AND THEN AGAIN IN NOVEMBER. SO WE CAN CONSOLIDATE, WE'RE SAVING MONEY, BUT WE'RE ALSO STOPPING ALL THE CONFUSION, BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY, I ALREADY VOTED. NO, YOU DIDN'T VOTE AGAIN.

YOU HAVE TO COME BACK AGAIN. I ALREADY VOLTED, SO THEY DON'T VOTE. SO PLEASE HELP INCREASE -- IF IT'S 10%

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AND AS WILLIE VELASQUEZ SAID PRESENTER WILL BE DR. MELISSA MARSHAL. I DISTRIBUTED TO MY COLLEAGUES THE IMPACT OF MOVING THE ELECTIONS FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER IN TERMS OF TURNOUT, SO SHE'S GOING TO PRESENT THOSE FINDINGS HERE FOR OUR

DELIBERATION. . >> THANK YOU, MAYOR JONES, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER. IT'S MY GREAT PLEASURE TO BE HERE COMING ACROSS FROM HOUSTON THIS MORNING TO TALK ABOUT LOCAL ELECTIONS. I JUST WRAPPED UP A COURSE ON URBAN POLITICS LAST WEEK AT RICE UNIVERSITY. I DO A LOT OF WORK ON LOCAL ELECTIONS, BOTH IN THE CLASSROOM AND RESEARCH, SO IT'S EXCITING TO TALK TO FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THAT TOPIC.

I'M GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU SOME SLIDES WITH A LOT OF DATA, SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU'VE HEARD SOME IMPASSIONED PLEASED FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS, RESIDENTS OF YOUR CITY. I'M GOING TO BRING A BIT OF A BROADER TEXAS PERSPECTIVE AND ALSO SHARE SOME DATA FROM ACROSS THE U.S., SO I HOPE IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE BACK IN THE CLASSROOM AND I WILL TRY TO NOT GET TOO IN THE WEEDS.

I WANT TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF POINTS HERE. OBVIOUSLY TURNOUT IS THE MAIN TICKET ITEM THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, SO I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. CONTESTATION IS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT'S LINKED TO THE TIMING OF ELECTIONS, AND TURNOUT. AND THAT MEANS, LIKE, ARE THERE -- ARE THESE RACES CHALLENGED OR ARE THEY UNCONTESTED.

THAT'S A BIG QUESTION IN SOME OF THESE OFF-CYCLE ELECTIONS.

I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.

THE CITY MANAGER'S ALREADY PRESENTED DATA ON THAT.

THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF DATA OUT THERE ON WHAT THE PUBLIC THINKS ABOUT CONSOLIDATING ELECTIONS. ALL RIGHT. SO VOTER TURNOUT, I THINK THIS IS A TABLE THAT MAYBE YOU ALL HAVE SEEN. IT'S YOUR ODD-YEAR ELECTIONS COMPARING MAY TURNOUT TO NOVEMBER TURNOUT, AND I GUESS IF I HAD -- YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAW THIS TABLE PRESENTED IN THIS WAY, IT DOES SEEM REASONABLE TO SAY, WHY WOULD WE WANT TO SWITCH TO NOVEMBER WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE ON AVERAGE, WE HAVE HIGHER TURNOUT IN OUR MAY ELECTIONS OVER TIME OVER THE LAST FEW SESSIONS. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO DIG INTO THIS A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE TURNOUT, WHEN WE LOOK AT IT AS A PERCENTAGE, IS OFTEN A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING. SO IF WE'RE THINKING LIKE WHAT'S BETTER, MAY VERSUS NOVEMBER, THINK WE SHOULD STEP BACK AND SAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OFFCYCLE ELECTIONS IN GENERAL, AND THERE ARE OTHER OFFCYCLE ELECTIONS HAPPENING IN MAY OF EVEN YEARS. IS IT MAY THAT MAKES IT BETTER OR IS IT NOVEMBER. SO IF WE COMPARE YOUR MAY ODD TO YOUR MAY EVEN, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT THE MONTH OF MAY, AND YOU HAVE EXTREMELY LOW TURNOUT IN YOUR MAY EVEN ELECTIONS, SO ON AVERAGE OVER THE LAST FIVE CYCLES, LESS THAN 5% VOTER TURNOUT FOR THOSE RACES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN MAY OF THE EVEN YEARS COMPARED TO ABOUT 13% IN YOUR MAY ODD. SO I THINK IT'S JUST WORTH STEPPING BACK AND LOOKING AT THE OTHER PIECE OF MAY, BECAUSE THAT WAS LEFT OUT OF THAT TABLE THAT YOU JUST SAW. SO HERE'S A COMPARISON OF YOUR THREE DIFFERENT OFFCYCLE ELECTIONS, THE MAY EVEN, SUPER LOW, THE MAY ODD, WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW LOOKS PRETTY GOOD, AND YOU HAVE YOUR NOVEMBER ODD, WHICH IS SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE. I WANTED TO SAY, TOO, THAT THAT DENOMINATOR THAT'S USED TO CALCULATE THE PERCENT, THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR COUNTY, IS A NUMBER THAT'S UP AND DOWN ALL THE TIME, SO IT'S HARD TO LOOK AT A PERCENT WHEN THE DENOMINATOR IS CHANGING.

SOMETIMES WE HAVE A LOWER VOTER TURNOUT, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THE DENOMINATOR GOT BIGGER. SO I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU THAT IT'S NOT RANDOM EITHER. THERE IS ALWAYS A BUMP IN TURNOUT WHEN WE LOOK AT -- NOT TURNOUT, SORRY, REJ STRAITIONZ, WHEN WE COMPARE MAY TO NOVEMBER.

WHY THAT IS, THERE ARE SOME GROUPS IN THE ROOM THAT HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THAT, THERE'S A LOT OF MOBILIZATION, REGISTRATION GOING ON UP TO THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS. LOTS OF FOLKS ARE GETTING REGISTERED TO VOKS -- WHY THE PERCENT IS SMALLER IN NOVEMBER VERSUS MAY.

I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO MUCH IN THE WEEDS, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT. SO I THINK IT'S WORTH LOOKING AT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BALLOTS CAST. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY VOTING.

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IF WE DO IT THAT WAY, YOU CAN SEE A COMPARISON OF YOUR MAY EVEN YEARS IT STILL DOESN'T LOOK VERY GOOD, ON AVERAGE ONLY ABOUT 40,000 PEOPLE ARE VOTING IN THOSE ELECTIONS. YOUR MAY ODDS ARE ABOUT 135,000, AND THEN NOVEMBER ODD IS ONLY ABOUT A 10,000 VOTE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NOVEMBER AND MAY OF ODD ELECTIONS.

OKAY. SO THERE'S A LOT OF VARIATION.

WHY? WHY IS IT THAT THERE'S SO MUCH VARIATION IN HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE VOTING IN THESE DIFFERENT ELECTIONS. I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS WE CAN SAY ABOUT THAT. FIRST OF ALL, THE NUMBER OF PLACES HOLDING ELECTIONS VARIES. TIMING, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PLACES HAVING ELECTIONS, MUNICIPALITIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS, IN YOUR MAY ODD IS THE HIGHEST, ALMOST 20 PLACES ARE HAVING ELECTIONS IN MAY OF ODD YEARS COMPARED TO ONLY ABOUT SEVEN IN NOVEMBER OF ODD.

OKAY. AND THEN YOU HAVE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE FOR YOUR MAY EVEN. SO OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU'RE -- YOUR JURISDICTION, YOUR CITY, YOUR MUNICIPALITY YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT DOESN'T HAVE -- CAN'T VOTE. OKAY. SO THE NUMBER OF PLACES HAVING ELECTIONS IS A REALLY BIG PIECE OF IT. AND THE NUMBER OF RACES ON THE BALLOT. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON THE BALLOT IN THESE ELECTIONS. SO YOU CAN SEE THE NOVEMBER ODD IS, AGAIN, ON AVERAGE, THERE ARE 70 RACES ON THESE -- TOTAL, SORRY.

I THINK THOSE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE TOTALS. THAT'S MISLABELED.

NUMBER OF RACES. SO LOTS OF ACTIVITY GOING ON IN YOUR MAY ODD YEAR ELECTIONS. SO THE THIRD THING -- SO IT'S THE NUMBER OF PLACES HAVING ELECTIONS, THE NUMBER OF RACES ON THOSE BALLOTS.

A THIRD THING THAT I THINK YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO IS THAT YOU, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, YOUR VOTERS ARE THE ONES DRIVING UP VOTER TURNOUT IN YOUR MAY ODD YEAR ELECTIONS. YOUR VOTERS -- YOUR RESIDENTS REPRESENT 88% OF ALL RESIDENTS IN MUNICIPALITIES IN YOUR COUNTY, SO I DON'T THINK IT MATTERS WHEN YOUR ELECTIONS ARE, YOUR VOTERS ARE GOING TO BE DRIVING TURNOUT NO MATTER WHEN THEY HAPPEN, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. SO THE QUESTION ABOUT THAT GRAPH THAT I SHOWED YOU, WHY IS TURNOUT LOOK HIGHER IN MAY ODD VERSUS MAY EVEN OR NOVEMBER ODD, THREE REASONS. MORE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE ELECTIONS IN MAY OF ODD YEARS, THERE ARE MORE RACES ON THOSE BALLOTS, AND YOUR CITY ELECTIONS WITH ALL THE VOTERS, ALL THE RESIDENTS, YOU'RE A BIG CITY, ARE THE MAIN DRIVERS OF THE HIGHER TURNOUT THAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THOSE ELECTIONS. SO IF WE COMPARE YOU HERE, SAN ANTONIO, TO THE OTHER BIG CITIES, YOU SEE HOUSTON UP THERE IN PURPLE, WE ARE THE NOVEMBER ODD YEAR. THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. WE'RE KIND OF SEPARATE CATEGORY COMPARED TO ARLINGTON, DALLAS, FORT WORTH, AND SAN ANTONIO THAT HAVE THESE MAY ODD YEAR ELECTIONS.

SO YOUR TURNOUT IS CONSIDERABLY LOWER. I THINK YOU COULD EXPECT YOUR TURNOUT TO BE EVEN HIGHER THAN OUR HOUSTON TURNOUT IN A NOVEMBER ODD YEAR, AND I'LL SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY I THINK THAT IS IN A MINUTE. WE HAVE SOME EVIDENCE OUTSIDE OF TEXAS COMPARING CITIES IN OTHER STATES. WE HAVE ABOUT 10,000 MAYORAL ELECTIONS IN A VERY LARGE SAMPLE OF MAYORAL ELECTIONS IN OUR DATABASE. THERE'S ABOUT A THIRD OF ALL ELECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES IN OUR DATABASE AT LEAST, THAT HAPPEN OFFCYCLE.

WE HAD ABOUT 560 CITIES THAT HAD MAY ELECTIONS, AND ABOUT 2,300 THAT HAD NOVEMBER ODD YEARS. SO THIS IS JUST A COMPARISON OF TURNOUT OF THOSE TWO GROUPS OF CITIES. ON MAJOR, THOSE MAY ELECTIONS ARE ABOUT 19% TURNOUT AND THE NOVEMBER ODD YEARS ARE ABOUT 28%, SO IT'S ABOUT A 10 PERCENTAGE POINT DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU JUST COMPARE THE TIMING OF THOSE CITIES, NOTHING ELSE, ABOUT THEIR DEMOGRAPHICS OR ANYTHING ELSE. SO TURNOUT IS IMPORTANT, OBVIOUSLY, BUT THE REASON WHY IT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT IT'S WHOSE VOTING.

THE SMALLER THE ELECTORATE IS, THE MORE SKEWED IT IS.

THESE ARE VOTERS THAT TEND TO BE HIGH PROPENSITY VOTERS, HIGH PROPENSITY VOTERS TEND TO BE HOMEOWNERS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, THEY TEND TO BE WEALTHIER FOLKS, THEY TEND TO BE OLDER FOLKS. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE TIME AND THE RESOURCES TO COME OUT AND VOTE AT TIMES WHEN OTHER PEOPLE ARE WORKING OR THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW AN ELECTION IS HAPPENING.

SO THERE'S LOTS OF RESEARCH THAT'S BEEN DONE ON THIS THAT SHOWS THAT THIS IS, ESPECIALLY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE AN UNREPRESENTATIVE GROUP OF RESIDENTS AND VOTERS WHO ARE ELECTING YOU ALL, AND YOU ALL ARE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT POLICIES ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND MONEY. AND SO IF YOU EXPAND YOUR ELECTORATE, THAT MEANS

[00:35:01]

SOMETIMES THEY GET CANCELED, THEY'RE NOT EVEN ON THE BALLOT SO THERE MIGHT BE A BUNCH OF THEM THAT WE DON'T SEE BECAUSE THEY JUST CANCEL THOSE ELECTIONS. BUT THE MAY ELECTION, ABOUT 16% OF THOSE ARE UNCONTESTED. SO THERE'S REALLY NO CHOICE, ONLY ONE PERSON RUNNING. FOR THE NOVEMBER, THERE'S A MUCH SMALLER GROUP OF MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE THEIR ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER OF ODD YEARS, ABOUT HALF OF THE NUMBER OF UNCONTESTED RACES, SO THAT'S A LITTLE ANECDOTAL, BUT THERE IS A LINK. SO IF YOU ARE FACING GOING OUT TO VOTE AT AN ODD TIME AND THERE'S MAYBE ONE RACE ON THE BALLOT THAT HAS TWO CANDIDATES AND THE OTHER ONE, THERE'S ONLY ONE CANDIDATE, A RATIONALE PERSON IS GOING TO BE LIKE T THE COST OF ME GOING TO VOTE FOR ONE PERSON OR NONE BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL UNCONTESTED JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. SO IT'S MAKING THE BENEFIT OF VOTING EVEN SMALLER BECAUSE THERE'S JUST REALLY NOTHING FOR YOU TO DO WHEN YOU SHOW UP THERE, OR VERY FEW CHOICES THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE.

THIS IS DATA, AGAIN, FROM OUTSIDE OF TEXAS, LOOKING AT THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF CANDIDATES IN MAY VERSUS NOVEMBER OF ODD YEARS, SO JUST WANT TO SAY, THAT ON AVERAGE, THERE ARE ALMOST TWO CANDIDATES PER RACE IN THESE NOVEMBER ODD.

THAT MEANS THEY'RE CONTESTED. ABOUT ONE AND A HALF IN THE MAY ELECTIONS. THE NUMBER -- OR THE PERCENTAGE OF UNCONTESTED RACES IN THESE MAY ELECTIONS, ABOUT 62% OF THIS LARGER SAMPLE OF CITIES THAT WE HAVE ARE UNCONTESTED, I.E., THE VOTER DOESN'T HAVE A CHOICE TO MAKE. THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON MAKING.

ABOUT HALF OF THAT IN THE NOVEMBER ODD. SO MARGIN OF VICTORY MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL ARE CONCERNED ABOUT, I MEAN, STATUS QUO, A LOT OF TIMES ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR OWN JOBS. THE AVERAGE MARGIN OF VICTORY IS HIGHER IN A MAY ELECTION AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT SO MANY OF THEM ARE UNCONTESTED, SO YOU'RE WINNING BY 100% BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE A COMPETITOR. BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU IN THE CONTESTED RACES WHEN THERE'S TWO PEOPLE RUNNING IN MAY VERSUS NOVEMBER, THE AVERAGE MARGIN OF VICTORY IS ABOUT THE SAME. SO YOU WOULD BASICALLY SEE THE SAME LEVEL OF COMPETITION, WHETHER IT WAS MAY OR NOVEMBER, IF YOU ACTUALLY HAD A COMPETITOR. ALL RIGHT.

ELECTION ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, I JUST WANTED TO NOTE, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M AN EXPERT ON, BUT YOU'VE HAD SOME BUDGET NUMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU. THERE'S SOME DATA FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS THAT RECENTLY HAS MADE THE DECISION TO MOVE, SOME DATA PRESENTED HERE FROM YOUR CITY MANAGER THAT THE COST SAVINGS OF NOT HAVING TO PAY FOR THE POLLING LOCATIONS, TO PAY THE POLL WORKERS, TO BRING ALL THAT EQUIPMENT OUT, IS NONNEGLIGIBLE, IT SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY REASONABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU MIGHT SAVE BY CONSOLIDATING YOUR ELECTIONS AND HAVING THEM IN NOVEMBER. SO IF THAT'S A CONCERN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT.

ON THE ISSUE OF VOTER EDUCATION REGISTRATION AND MOBILIZATION, I HAVE A COUPLE THINGS TO SAY. I DO A LOT OF WORK ON HOIZ VOTER REGISTRATION.

I'M A MIDWESTERNER, I'VE BEEN IN TEXAS FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS A LAW THAT REQUIRES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET REGISTERED TO VOTE WHILE THEY ARE IN SCHOOL. THERE'S FUNDING THAT WE KNOW AS POLITICAL SCIENTISTS, IT'S THAT TO BECOME A VOTER , A HABITUAL VOTER, YOU NEED TO START WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG. THE LIKELIHOOD OF FOLKS BECOMING VOTERS LATER IN LIFE, IF THEY WEREN'T VOTING WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER, IT GETS JUST SMALLER AND SMALLER. IT'S VERY HARD TO BECOME A REGULAR VOTER WHEN YOU WEREN'T VOTING AS A YOUNGSTER, SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US AS TEXANS, I THINK, TO GIVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR STUDENTS WHEN THEY'RE IN SCHOOL, WHEN THEY'RE TAKING DPOFT GOVERNMENT, WHEN THEY'RE KIND OF A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE, TO COME IN AND GIVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT WE DEVELOP OUR CIVIC VALUES, SUPPORT OUR DEMOCRACY. SUPPORT OUR CONSTITUTION. SO THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IS A VERY ACTIVE GROUP IN HIGH SCHOOL VOTER REGISTRATION IN HOUSTON.

I DO A LOT OF WORK WITH HISD. WE LIKE TO PARTNER WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO GO IN AND DO A PRESENTATION, HAVE THE STUDENTS PEER-TO-PEER SOMETIMES REGISTER EACH OTHER. AND WE BRING THE MACHINES TO THE CLASSROOM SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE.

THEY DON'T KNOW, THEY'VE NEVER VOTED BEFORE. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DO WHEN THEY GET IN THERE. SO WE HAVE THE MACHINES AND THEY GET TO INTERACT WITH THEM. THE PROBLEM WITH MAY ELECTIONS IS THAT THE MACHINES ARE OUT A LOT FOR EARLY VOTING FOR

[00:40:01]

AND THERE ARE FEWER ELECTION OFFICIALS IN THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE TO PARTNER WITH, BECAUSE THEY'RE RUNNING ELLENG SHUNS OFTENTIMES IN MAY, SO THAT'S AN ISSUE. I'M A PROFESSOR AT RICE, I'VE BEEN AT RICE FOR OVER 20 YEARS WE HAVE A VERY CIVICALLY INVOLVED STUDENT BODY, BUT I WILL SAY IN MAY WE ARE DONE WITH CLASSES OR WE'RE FINISHING FINALS, WE'RE GETTING READY FOR GRADUATIONS, STUDENTS ARE MOVING OUT, SO HAVING ELECTIONS IN MAY IS A REALLY BAD TIME FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE EITHER STUDYING, ABOUT TO GO HOME OR GRADUATING AND THE LAST THING THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT IS VOTING.

SO I THINK IF WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING OUR YOUNG FOLKS STARTED AS VOTERS, GETTING THEM REGISTERED, MOBILIZING THEM, EDUCATING THEM, CONSOLIDATING THE ELECTION AND HAVING IT AT A TIME WHEN THEY'RE NOT SUPER BUSY DOING OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS IN THEIR LIVES IS GOING TO MAKE SENSE. AND TO THAT POINT, A LOT OF THESE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT GROUPS, YOU'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF THEM ALREADY, THEY FOCUS THEIR VOTER EDUCATION INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, OFTEN ON THE RUNUP TO THE PRIMARY AND IN THE NOVEMBER. THEY HAVE LIMITED BUDGETS, THEY CAN'T BE DOING THIS WORK ALL YEAR ROUND SO THEY HAVE TO MAKE STRATEGIC CHOICES. I WORK WITH A LOT OF THEM GROUPS AND A LOT OF THEM SAY WE DON'T DO ANYTHING FOR THE MAY ELECTIONS, WE JUST DON'T.

ALL RIGHT. LASTLY SOME PUBLIC OPINION, I KNOW YOU'RE CONCERNED, THIS WAS A RUSHED TIMELINE I THINK, FOR YOU ALL TO MAKE THIS DECISION. IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME WHY THE STATE LEGISLATURE PUTS A TIMELINE ON THIS, WHY DO WE HAVE TO DECIDE SO QUICKLY.

HOME RULE CITIES US USUALLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DECIDE HOW THEY RUN THEIR ELECTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, HAS TO BE DECIDED BY THE END OF THE YEAR. SO IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER FOLKS, AMERICANS IN GENERAL, HAVE A PREFERENCE FOR GOING OUT MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OR EVERY YEAR TO VOTE OR HAVING THEIR ELECTIONS CONSOLIDATED, FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, MORE CONSOLIDATED AT ONCE, THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS IN A RANDOM REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF AMERICANS PREFERRED TO HAVE CONSOLIDATED ELECTIONS, AND THAT'S TRUE FOR THE RELATIVELY SMALL SAMPLE OF TEXANS WHO WERE IN THAT SAMPLE, BUT ABOUT 54% OF TEXANS SAID THEY PREFERRED TO HAVE A CONSOLIDATED ELECTION VERSUS HAVING TO GO OUT AND VOTE MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE YEAR. OKAY. SO I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I HAD TO PRESENT TO YOU. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER

QUESTIONS LATER. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, PROFESSOR MARSHALL. . SO WE'VE HEARD CERTAINLY FROM FOLKS THAT WORK ON THIS ISSUE DAY IN AND DAY OUT, AND WE HAVE NOW BEEN PROVIDED, ONCE AGAIN, WITH THE DATA THAT UNDERPINS THE BENEFITS, FRANKLY, OF MOVING FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER. LET ME REITERATE, AGAIN, I KNOW WE ALL WISH WE HAD, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO ENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S QUITE CLEAR FROM SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT HAVE SPOKEN, AGAIN, THAT WORK ON THIS DAY IN AND DAY OUT, THE BENEFITS NOT ONLY IN THE COST SAVINGS, 800K, TO A MILLION DOLLARS CERTAINLY AS WE ARE STARING DOWN A BUDGET DEFICIT AND WHO KNOWS WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE ENTWINE. ANY -- AND ALWAYS, IN WHICH WE CAN SAVE MONEY, WE SHOULD CERTAINLY DO THAT. INCREASED TURNOUT, THOUGH, I MEAN, THIS IS ALL REALLY BASED ON THE PREMISE THAT OUR GOVERNMENT AND OUR DEMOCRACY WORKS BETTER WHEN WE HEAR FROM MORE PEOPLE, AND I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY BE FOCUSED ON HOW WE CAN HELP HEAR FROM MORE OF OUR NEIGHBORS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE BEST SERVING THEM. ON A MORE PRACTICAL STANDPOINT, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO FIESTA OR VOTING, FIESTA ALWAYS WINS, RIGHT? AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM AS MANY OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AS POSSIBLE, THERE ARE MANY, MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO BETTER SERVE OUR FOLKS BY HEARING THEM AT A TIME WHEN THEY ALREADY ASSOCIATE WITH VOTING, WHICH IS NOVEMBER.

I ALSO WANT TO FOOT STOMP, IT IS UNCLEAR, RIGHT? IT IS UNCLEAR WHEN WE WILL HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY AGAIN, EVEN IF WE TAKE THIS UP AND DISCUSS IT AS PART OF THE CHARTER REVIEW, IT IS -- IT STILL REQUIRES A LEGISLATIVE CHANGE, WHICH WE ARE UNCLEAR IF OR WHEN THAT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. AND I REITERATE THAT, YOU KNOW, DALLAS, HOUSTON, AUSTIN, THESE MAJOR DELEGATIONS, EVEN EL PASO, THEY ALREADY HAVE THEIRS IN NOVEMBER. EVERYBODY KIND OF HAS WHAT THEY WANT AND WHAT THEY NEED, SO IT REALLY IS ON US TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY, THOUGH IT BE TIME SENSITIVE.

LASTLY, LET ME -- I'VE GOT A -- I'M THANKFUL FOR THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY FOLKS THAT HAVE WEIGHED IN ON THIS, EVEN WITH THE SHORT TIMELINE, JUST BECAUSE THEIR BODY OF WORK, OVER DECADES, DEMONSTRATES THE VALUE OF THIS TO THE COMMUNITY. SO HERE'S A SHORT SUMMARY OF THE COMMUNITY GROUPS

[00:45:04]

GREAT. THANK YOU. SO FIVE FORMER MAYORS E HENRY CISNEROS, NELSON WOLFF, JULIAN CASTRO, RON NIRENBERG ALL OF THEM RECEIVED LETTERS OUTLINING WHY THEY SUPPORT THIS CHANGE.

A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT LOOKS AT LATINO HAS WEIGHED IN, YOU HEARD EARLIER FROM MR. GARZA, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTEDDERS SAN ANTONIO, COPS METRO, TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT, AGAIN, ALL THESE VETERANS, AMERICAN GI FORUM, VOTE VETS, ALL THESE GROUPS THAT UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF HEARING FROM AS MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS AS POSSIBLE TO ENSURE OUR GOVERNMENT BEST SERVES OUR COMMUNITY. AND, OF COURSE, HEARTENED BY THE SUPPORT OF FOLKS LIKE THE HONORABLE MARIA DEZAVOLLEYBALL, EVEN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THE HEAD OF PORT SAN ANTONIO HAS WEIGHED IN AND EXPRESSED HIS SUPPORT, BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT HELPS TO SAVE MONEY AND IT HELPS ENSURE WE'RE HEARING FROM AS MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS POSSIBLE. SO IT IS MY INTENSE THAT WE VOTE ON THIS BY THE 18TH. AGAIN, THIS IS A TIME-SENSITIVE OPPORTUNITY. WE HAVE TO DO THIS BY THE END OF THE YEAR, IF WE SO CHOOSE. OKAY. WITH THAT, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL, COUNCIL COLLCOLLEAGUES. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN?

>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I THANK YOU ALL WHO CAME OUT AND PRESENTED. I DO WANT TO TAKE THIS TO THE VOTER -- I DO WANT TO TAKE THIS TO A VOTE ON THE 18TH. I WANT TO SEE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SUPPORTED THIS COME OUT AND SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE ON THE 18TH.

I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T THINK THIS IS SUCH A GOOD IDEA, TO COME OUT AND SPEAK ON THE 18TH. AS FOR ME, FORMER MAYOR RON NIRENBERG HAD BROUGHT THIS UP TO ME. I WASN'T SURE IT WAS THE GREATEST IDEA, BUT THEN VALERIE CAME AND SPOKE TO TEXAS BUSINESS WOMEN'S, AN ORGANIZATION OF MINE, WITH HER RADICAL REGISTRARS AND JUST TALKED ABOUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET CREATIVE TO GET THE YOUTH VOTER OUT THERE. AND SO WHEN SHE CAME UP AND SPOKE, I WAS LIKE, THOSE ARE ALL MY SPEAKING POINTS, IS THAT WE KIND OF NEED A CHANGE. EVERYBODY IS USED TO THAT NOVEMBER DATE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND VOTE. AND WE KNEW THIS WAS COMING. JEFF, I'M -- YOU KNOW, AND I WAS HERE, AND YOU GAVE US THE UPDATES ABOUT WHAT WAS COMING, BUT WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A CHARTER REGARDING OUR FOUR-YEAR ELECTIONS. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT DO WE DO AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

SO THIS WASN'T SOMETHING WE REALLY PUSHED FORWARD, AND AFTER IT CAME THROUGH, I REALLY FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO DO THIS, WE'LL DO IT. IF NOT, WE'LL JUST SIT HERE. BUT WHETHER IT'S THE 18TH, WHETHER IT'S TWO YEARS FROM NOW AND WE HAVE TO GO TO THE STATE LEG, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING THIS ELECTION TO AN ODD NUMBER NOVEMBER YEAR, AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU JUST THREE SIMPLE REASONS. ONE IS THE FACT THAT THE PUBLICITY THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE TO DO BECAUSE EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT A NOVEMBER ELECTION, IT'S OUR ELECTION DAY, THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ARE PROMOTING THAT. I THINK IS A GOOD IDEA. TWO, IS WE STILL REMAIN NONPARTISAN. NOBODY CARES IF WE'RE R OR D, AS LONG AS THEY GET THEIR TRASH PICKED UP AND WE FILL THOSE POTHOLES. SO IT CONTINUES TO REMAIN THAT ON THOSE ODD-NUMBERED YEARS. AND, THREE, I THINK WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS MOVE AND GET THAT BIGGER DATE FOR THAT NOVEMBER ELECTION. AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD BE COMMITTED TO AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO THIS, IS MAKING SURE -- BECAUSE YOU GUYS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ABSORB SOME COSTS IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS BECAUSE WE'RE MOVING FROM SCHOOL YEARS TO FOUR YEARS, LET'S TRY AND HELP US ALL GET ON THE SAME PAGE FOR A NOVEMBER ELECTION.

SO I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT CONVERSATION. I PUT OUT A SURVEY.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM MY COMMUNITY, AND THIS WOULD BE MY VOTE IF WE HAD TAKEN THIS ALONG THE CHARTER WITH -- ALONG WITH THE CHARTER LAST YEAR, THIS WOULD BE MY VOTE HERE, AND IN THE FUTURE IF WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. THANK YOU COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CONVERSATION. COUNCILWOMAN ALDARETE

GAVITO? >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO ALL THE PRESENTERS AND SPEAKERS TODAY. SO WE DID HAVE OUR DISTRICT 7 TOWN HALL ON THIS TOPIC, I BELIEVE IT WAS MONDAY OR TUESDAY,

[00:50:03]

JULIA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, I HAD A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU.

WHERE OUR SCHOOL BOARDS AND OUR PARTNERS ON THE SCHOOL BOARDS CONSULTED

BEFORE THIS MEMO WENT OUT? >> NOT THAT I KNOW OF.

>> GAVITO: UH-HUH. >> I DO KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF

CONVERSATION SINCE THEN. >> GAVITO: SURE. >> -- ASKING -- AND I THINK PART OF THE -- MAYBE THE THING THAT HELPS THEM, AGAIN, ALWAYS HAPPY TO OFFER INFORMATION, IS THAT THE REQUIREMENT FOR JOINT ELECTIONS IS IN THE EDUCATION CODE. AND SO A KNOWLEDGE OF THE REQUIREMENT TO CONNECT THE TWO, UNLESS YOU'RE DIGGING THROUGH THE EDUCATION CODE, MIGHT NOT COME ABOUT IN KIND OF THE FIRST REVIEW OF THE STATUTE, BUT NOT THAT I KNOW OF UPON THE FIRST --

>> GAVITO: OKAY. AND THAT'S HELPFUL, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I DO THINK WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND OUR PARTNERS IN ELECTIONS. I COULD SEE -- YOU KNOW, I USED TO BE D CHAIR OF MOVE TEXAS -- BECAUSE THE VOTER'S STILL GOING TO HAVE TO COME OUT MAY AND NOVEMBER, SO JUST WANTED TO CHECK IN ON THAT. THANK YOU, JULIA.

PROFESSOR MARSHALL, I HAD A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THAT INFORMATION AND DATA.

YOU MENTIONED THAT MAY IS A TOUGH TIME FOR YOUNG FOLKS TO COME OUT AND VOTE BECAUSE OF GRADUATION AND STUFF. IF WE WERE TO MOVE THIS TO NOVEMBER, WHAT IMPACT DO YOU THINK THE HOLIDAYS WOULD HAVE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO BE -- THANKSGIVING BREAK, DECEMBER AND, YOU KNOW, I ALSO SEE IT, YOU KNOW, AS A WORKING MOM OF TWO LITTLE ONES, WE HAD -- I BELIEVE HER NAME'S JILL FROM THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AT THE TOWN HALL, SHE WAS SAYING, YEAH, IT'S IN DECEMBER. ANY WORKING MOM WILL TELL YOU SCHOOL CALENDARS IN DECEMBER IS NUTS. YOU KNOW, AND SO FINDING TIME TO GET OUT AND VOTE, IT WOULD BE CRAZY. THAT'S JUST MY INITIAL

THOUGHT ON THAT. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? >> I THINK PARTLY, IT'S -- NOVEMBER IS ELECTION TIME, THE FIRST TUESDAY OF NOVEMBER IS WHEN WE HAVE OUR FEDERAL ELECTIONS, SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'RE KIND

OF ACCUSTOMED TO, I WOULD SAY. >> GAVITO: SURE.

AND I'M SORRY, IF I COULD CLARIFY WHAT I WAS MEANING TO SAY IS RUNOFFS. BECAUSE MOST OF US -- WHEN COUNCIL'S ELECTED,

MOST OF US IN OUR FIRST RACES FACE RUNOFFS. >> RIGHT.

WHICH IS A GOOD THING. WE'RE HAVING A RUNOFF IN HOUSTON.

WE HAD AN AT LARGE SPECIAL ELLEK SLUN IN NOVEMBER, EARLY VOTING IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW, NEXT TUESDAY IS THE FINAL DAY.

SO IT DOES RUN UP TO THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND THE HOLIDAYS COMING UP, THAT'S FOR SURE, BUT I GUESS THE COUNTERPOINT TO THAT IS WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR RUNOFF IN MAY, YOU'RE LOOKING AT JUNE, PEOPLE ARE GOING ON VACATIONS, KIDS ARE OUT OF SCHOOL, WORKING MOM'S HAVE KIDS AT HOME NOW, SO THE KIND OF SUMMER ROUTINE IS ALREADY STARTED IN JUNE.

>> GAVITO: UH-HUH. >> SO I THINK IT'S -- IT'S THE SAME QUESTION ABOUT FATIGUE AND HOW MANY TIMES DO WE, YOU KNOW, WANT TO DO IT.

BUT I THINK AT LEAST IN NOVEMBER, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE IN CLASS AT THE ACTUAL TIME, THEY'RE STILL IN CLASS RIGHT NOW, SO THAT PROBLEM, I THINK, IS A LITTLE BIT LESS SEVERE IN THE DECEMBER, NOVEMBER VERSUS THE MAY AND JUNE FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

>> GAVITO: THAT'S INTERESTING. OKAY.

THANK YOU. I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR JOHN.

ONE IS -- AND IF YOU HAVE TO GET BACK WITH US WITH THE INFORMATION, I KNOW THAT WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OTHER MAJOR CITIES IN TEXAS ALREADY PASSING THIS, SO DO WE KNOW THAT -- FROM MY UNDERSTANDING WHERE THIS WAS PASSED IN AUSTIN, EL PASO AND DALLAS, OTHER MAJOR CITIES, THIS WAS VOTER APPROVED BEFORE IT WAS PASSED; IS THAT CORRECT?

>> I WOULD NEED TO DO MORE IN DEPTH RESEARCH, COUNCILWOMAN, BUT FOR

[00:55:02]

DALLAS. >> GAVITO: OKAY. >> I BELIEVE THAT'S TRUE FOR AUSTIN AS WELL, BUT I WOULD NEED TO CHECK MYSELF ON EL PASO AND

OTHER PLACES. >> GAVITO: YEAH, AND I KNOW OUR TEAM DID SOME DIGGING AND WE DID SEE IN OTHER MAJOR CITIES IT WAS VOTER APPROVED, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR INFORMATION IS IN LINE WITH YOURS.

>> I'LL DOUBLE CHECK. IN AUSTIN AND DALLAS, THAT'S TRUE.

>> GAVITO: ONE OTHER QUESTION WITH THE SLIDE WITH THE COST

BREAKDOWN -- >> YES, MA'AM. >> GAVITO: -- JUST --

>> I BELIEVE IT'S 13, CLIFF. >> GAVITO: I KNOW YOU PUT THE COSTS UP THERE, BUT WE ALL HAD -- AT OUR TOWN HALL, WE ALL HAD THE SAME QUESTION, IS THIS REALLY SAVING THE CITY ANY MONEY? UH-OH, IT LOOKS LIKE I ASKED THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION.

>> NO, I JUST WAS LOOKING AT ERIK. GO AHEAD, SIR.

>> WALSH: SO COUNCILWOMAN, AND THE PROFESSOR HAD IT ON THE SLIDE, PART OF THE -- PART OF WHEN THE MAYOR ASKED ME ABOUT THIS SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SAID -- AND HER QUESTION SPECIFICALLY WAS ON THE COST IMPACT, AND, YOU KNOW, I SHARED THAT MY ESTIMATE AT THAT TIME WAS BETWEEN 800 AND A MILLION DOLLARS KNOWING WHAT WE SPEND, BUT IT'S ALSO DEPENDENT ON WHO'S ON THE BALLOT.

>> GAVITO: SURE. >> WALSH: AND JUST LIKE THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS MAY BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE COST ALLOCATION AS THE -- DR. MARSHALL KIND OF LAID OUT, THE COST OF THE ELECTIONS IS ADMINISTERED AND BORNE BY THE COUNTY

ELECTION'S OFFICE. >> GAVITO: UH-HUH. >> WALSH: AND SO WE DON'T HAVE A BREAKOUT OR DETAILS ABOUT WHAT FUTURE IS.

WE CAN SHOW YOU WHAT THE PAST IS BECAUSE THE FUTURE IS BASED ON WHO ALL'S ON THE BALLOT. SO THE QUESTION -- OR THE ANSWER IS, IT DEPENDS.

AND, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY -- I THINK THE WAY THIS HAS BEEN SET UP, THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY A COST SAVING. WE'RE NOT REDUCING THE BUDGET AND BALANCING THE BUDGET. COST IS A FACTOR HERE, BUT IT'S MORE A POLICY

CONVERSATION ABOUT ELECTION POLICY. >> GAVITO: SURE.

YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT. BECAUSE I JUST -- YOU KNOW, IT WAS -- I THINK THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME INFORMATION THAT THIS IS A COST SAVINGS, AND SO, YOU KNOW, BASED OFF OF THAT CHART, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE THE COSTS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE AND THERE ARE SO MANY DEPENDENCIES ON THAT. AND SO I JUST WANT US TO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT TALKING POINT, BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT CERTAIN THAT THERE ARE COST SAVINGS, AND I'M TALKING TO GENERAL "WE,," THEN WE NEED TO BE CLEAR WITH THE PUBLIC. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. >> WALSH: ABSOLUTELY. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR JONES: ERIK, BASED ON YOUR INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF 800K TO A MILLION DOLLARS IN SAVINGS, IS THERE A -- WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROVIDE

A REVISED ESTIMATE? >> WALSH: NO. I CAN'T, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. SO WE'LL GO WITH THE INITIAL NUMBER.

>> WALSH: IT DEPENDS. IT'S WHAT I SAID THAT DAY IS THAT MY GUESS IS 800 TO A MILLION DOLLARS BASED ON WHAT WE BUDGETED, BUT IT DEPENDS

ON WHO'S ON THE BALLOT. >> MAYOR JONES: YEP. GOT IT.

THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN KAUR? >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU ALL TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT AND SPOKE TODAY. I WANT TO MAKE ONE THING CLEAR.

ME AND MY TIME HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS TO TRULY UNDERSTAND THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THIS DECISION.

I UNDERSTAND WE HAVEN'T HAD THE TIME TO DO A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE WE JUST DISCOVERED THIS TOO LATE.

SO THAT WAS A CONDITION OF THIS CONVERSATION. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE WERE DISCUSSING TWO ISSUES THAT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THINGS ARE TRUE WITHOUT NEGATIVELY IMPACTING ANY OTHER ENTITY IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO RESEARCH AND FIND AS MUCH INFORMATION AS I CAN TO HELP MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. AND I THINK COUNCILWOMAN ALDARETE GAVITO MENTIONED ON SOME OF THEM, BUT I'M GOING TO REITERATE.

SO THE FIRST THING IS, DO WE ACTUALLY SEE INCREASED TURNOUT IN NOVEMBER ODD YEAR ELECTIONS, RIGHT? AND I HEARD THE ARGUMENT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE'VE NEVER DONE IT. SO NOVEMBER ODD YEAR ELECTIONS, I APPRECIATE YOUR DATA, PROFESSOR MARSHALL AND I DIDN'T GET THE HONOR TO BE IN YOUR CLASS WHEN I WAS A POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR AT RICE UNIVERSITY, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SHOWING THIS BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR, SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DIG INTO HOUSTON DATA.

THE ONLY OTHER CITY IN THE STATE THAT HAS AN ODD-YEAR ELECTION IS HOUSTON, AND THEY'VE HAD IT FOR A VERY LONG TIME. WE DON'T HAVE DATA TO COMPARE FROM DALLAS, BECAUSE THEY JUST DID IT, OR AUSTIN, BECAUSE AUSTIN IS AN EVEN-YEAR ELECTION, WHICH WE KNOW IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BALL GAME. I THINK THAT'S A PART OF THE CHALLENGE, RIGHT? EVEN-YEAR ELECTION, WE CAN 100% GUARANTEE WE'RE GOING TO GET INCREASED TURNOUT. THERE'S OTHER CHALLENGES WITH EVEN-YEAR ELECTION TION, BUT WHAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT IS ODD-YEAR ELECTIONS.

[01:00:02]

>> YEAH, SO THAT'S THE CITY ITSELF, NOT THE WHOLE COUNTY.

BECAUSE THE WHOLE COUNTY IS VOTING IN NOVEMBER ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ELECTIONS, BUT A LOT OF THE FOLKS IN THE COUNTY DON'T LIVE IN THE

CITY. >> KAUR: GOT IT. >> SO WHEN WE CAN, WE LOOK AT ACTUAL TURNOUT ON THE FOLKS THAT ARE VOTING IN THE MAYORAL ELECTION

AND NOT THE OTHER PARTS. >> KAUR: RIGHT. OKAY.

SO THANK YOU. SO I WANT TO MENTION THAT.

HOUSTON'S MAYORAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER OF 2023 HAD THE TURNOUT OF ABOUT 17.5 PERCENT -- OR OFF HARRIS COUNTY'S. AND IN JUNE OF 2025 THIS YEAR FOR OUR MAYORAL RUNOFF, WE HAD A VERY SIMILAR, IT WAS 17.01%.

SO THE TURNOUT WAS PRETTY SIMILAR TO WHAT HOUSTON SAW FOR THEIR NOVEMBER CITY ELECTION. AND SO THAT BEING SAID, YOU ALSO MADE THE COMMCOMMENT, WE DRIVE THE TURNOUT. I NOTICED THAT IN THE DATA, TOO. TOFOR YOUR TOTAL REGISTERED VOTERS WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE EVEN/ODD CYCLES, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF

BEXAR COUNTY, RIGHT, NOT JUST CITY. >> RIGHT.

>> KAUR: I THINK THERE'S A DISCUSSION TO BE HAD WITH THE DATA, CITY VOTERS ARE THE ONES THAT VOTE IN OUR MUNICIPAL ECK LEK SHUNS SO WE'RE LOOKING AT TOTAL COUNTY VOTERS AS WELL, SO IT'S NOT APPLES TO APPLES ALL

THE TIME. >> CORRECT. WHAT I THINK I WAS TRYING TO GET OUT WITH THE VARIATION IN THE TURNOUT IN YOUR ELECTIONS IS THAT IT'S -- ARE THERE THINGS ON THE BALLOT THAT THE VOTERS CARE ABOUT, ARE THERE CANDIDATES RUNNING, AND SO MAYBE I DIDN'T HIGHLIGHT THAT YOUR COUNCIL ELECTIONS, AND WHY I THINK YOU WILL HAVE HIGHER ELECTION ON YOUR NOVEMBER ODD THAN WE DO, YOU HAVEN'T HAD A SINGLE UNCONTESTED COUNCIL RACE

SINCE -- >> KAUR: I WISH WE DID. >> IN FACT, IT'S NOT TWO PEOPLE RUNNING, IT'S THREE, FOUR, FIVE, 20. LIKE THE FACT THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING AND THAT MEANS THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST AND EXCITEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT AROUND THIS SET OF FOLKS WHO ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE. SO IF YOU MOVE THAT FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER, NOTHING

CHANGES. >> KAUR: RIGHT. >> WHAT CHANGES IS THAT THE WHOLE COUNTY HAS THE POSSIBILITY TO GO OUT AND VOTE, AND SOME OF THEM.

>> KAUR: BUT THE WHOLE COUNTY DOESN'T VOTE FOR THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

>> OF COURSE. BUT WHEN THEY'RE MAKING A DECISION IN MAY TO COME VOTE, IT'S LIKE I'M GOING TO VOTE IN THIS MUNICIPAL RACE OR NOTHING.

BUT I ALSO SHOULD GO AND VOTE IN THIS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ELECTION BECAUSE ACTUALLY THE TURNOUT THERE, IF YOU COMPARED THE NOVEMBER ODD YEAR TURNOUT IN HARRIS COUNTY FOR THE FOLKS THAT DON'T HAVE ANYTHING BUT THOSE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS ON THEIR BALLOT TO THE ONES IN HOUSTON OR -- THEIR OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE ODD -- NOVEMBER ODD YEAR

ELECTIONS IN HARRIS COUNTY AS WELL, SO -- >> KAUR: RIGHT.

I HEAR THAT, RIGHT? SO CITY VOTERS ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR CITY ELECTIONS, RIGHT? I HAD NINE PEOPLE ON MY BALLOT.

WE HAD 27 ON THE MAYORAL. THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO VOTE. BUT THE THING THAT I'M LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS YOU MENTIONED CONSOLIDATED LEBLG SHUNS.

AND EVERYONE THAT HAS CALLED ME HAS SAID WE NEED LESS ELECTIONS.

I AGREE, NO ONE WOULD DISAGREE THAT WE NEED LESS ELECTIONS, BUT BY US MOVING US UNILATERALLY, WOULD WE NOT JUST -- THE ISDS THAT STAY, THAT ARE IN OUR BOUNDARIES THAT STAY IN MAY WON'T WE BE CANNIBALIZING THEIR VOTER

BASE? >> I DON'T HAVE A MAP OF YOUR BOUNDARIES, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHARE OF THOSE ISDS THAT ARE NOT IN THE CITY.

YOU KNOW, PIECES OF THEM. >> KAUR: YEAH.

>> SO I WOULD SAY IT'S A BROADER ARGUMENT, YOU'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT.

I MEAN, IT'S A QUESTION OF WHETHER YOU WANT TO SACRIFICE POTENTIALLY WIDENING, BROADENING YOUR ELECTORATE AND GAINING MORE REPRESENTATION AMONG THE FOLKS WHO ARE VOTING FOR YOU TO SORT OF ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVE FOR THE ISDS THAT'S GOING TO POTENTIALLY LEAD TO FEWER FOLKS VOTING. AND I THINK IF THEY HAVE THE CHANCE TO MOVE -- YOU'RE RIGHT, CONSOLIDATING REQUIRES EVERYBODY SHIFTING, AND THEN MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE THIS MAY ELECTION. I MEAN, YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO VOTE IN THE PRIMARY, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN MAY, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A RUNOFF IN JUNE.

THERE'S A LOT OF VOTING GOING ON IN SPRING, IF YOU CAN GET RID OF THOSE AND HAVE IT IN NOVEMBER. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF THINGS ON THE NOVEMBER ODD YEAR BALLOT. I MEAN, WE HAD 20 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS, I MEAN, THOSE ARE A LOT. BUT WHEN YOU GET DOWN, THERE AREN'T A LOT OF OTHER THINGS. SO IT'S NOT LIKE THE AUSTIN PROBLEM WHERE THEY MIGHT HAVE 90 RACES ON THE NOVEMBER EVEN AND THEN PEOPLE GET TIRED BY THE TIME THEY COME TO THE MUNICIPAL, THAT'S NOT HAPPENING IN THE NOVEMBER ODD YEAR, SO I THINK IN A WAY, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY

[01:05:02]

>> KAUR: YEAH, I APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN. THE LAST COMMENT -- THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU. THE LAST COMMENT THAT I'LL MAKE IS ON THE COST, RIGHT, AND WE JUST DISCUSSED IT. THE COST FOR THE MAY 2025 ELECTION THAT WE GOT -- I GOT AN INVOICE FROM AND IT WAS MENTIONED ON THERE WAS 470K. AND OUR RUNOFF WAS 1.1 MILLION.

SO RUNOFF, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BEAR ANYWAYS IF WE HAVE A MAYORAL ELECTION BECAUSE WE'RE THE ONLY ONES ON THE BALLOT, BUT OUR PORTION OF THE MAY ELECTION WAS ONLY $470,000. SO THE SAVINGS NUMBER TO ERIK'S POINT IS VERY AMBIGUOUS, AND WE ACTUALLY -- AT LEAST I HAD THE WRONG INTERPRETATION OF HOW WE SPLIT THE DOLLARS, SO WE ACTUALLY THOUGHT WE WERE SPLIT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE BALLOT, BUT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. YOU SPLIT THE COST BASED ON THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS. AND IN NOVEMBER FOR AN ODD YEAR, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO OPEN EVERY SINGLE LOCATION, WE HAVE TO SPLIT THE COST FOR EVERY SINGLE LOCATION SITE IN BEXAR COUNTY, SO IT WOULDN'T EVEN JUST BE IN THE CITY BOUNDARIES LIKE OUR RUNOFF WAS THIS YEAR, YOU HAVE TO SPLIT THE COST FOR EVERY SINGLE LOCATION SITE IN THE COUNTY. AND SO WHETHER WE SAVE ENOUGH -- WHETHER WE SAVE THAT 800 OR A MILLION DOLLARS IS VERY QUESTIONABLE IN MY OPINION, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS, WE ARE REPRESENTING OUR TAX BASE. AND IF -- EVEN IF WE'RE SAVING THE MONEY FOR THE CITY, WHICH I UNDERSTAND OUR SHARED RESPONSIBILITY IS TO THE CITY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, OUR TAXPAYERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO INCREASE THEIR COST FOR THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT ELECTIONS, SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S LIKE SHIFTING THE EXPENSE FROM ONE PERSON TO THE OTHER, AND I HAVE LOOKED AT THE FINANCIALS OF -- I THINK THERE'S THREE DISTRICTS AT LEAST THAT HAVE ADOPTED DEFICIT-BASED BUDGETS THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS IN OUR AREA, AND THEY DON'T HAVE -- THEY ARE, I THINK, IN A MUCH MORE VULNERABLE FINANCIAL POSITION THAN WE ARE AS A CITY.

AND SO ALL OF THAT TO BE SAID, IF WE COULD GET EVERYBODY TOGETHER AND MOVE FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER, I WOULD SUPPORT IT, BECAUSE THEN I THINK WE WOULD ALL BENEFIT. SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY HOSTING A MEETING EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH ALL OF THE DISTRICTS THAT ARE ON THE BALLOT IN MAY, ALSO HAVE TO BE SOME OF THE CITIES ARE ALSO GOING TO BE AFFECTED BECAUSE IE BALCONES HEIGHTS, THEY ARE GOVERNED BY THE STATE.

TSO THE STATE TELLS THEM THEY HAVE TO HAVE ELECTIONS IN MAY, SO THEY FOR SURE WOULD BE CANNIBALIZED, SO LET'S FOCUS ON THE ISDS.

IF THERE IS APPETITE AND ROOM FOR THE ISDS TO SAY, YEAH, IF WE COULD DO THIS TOGETHER SO WE'RE NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACTING THEM, I WOULD TOTALLY SUPPORT IT. SO THAT'S OUR NEXT STEP TO TRY TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING -- AUDIO] -- OUR CITY WITH HURTING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS, AND OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE ONE UP HERE R, PREVIOUSLY, MAN, THAT IS A MUCH -- IS A REALLY IMPORTANT JOB AND THEY HAVE A REALLY TOUGH TASK, SO WE DON'T WANT -- WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO GET REALLY GOOD CANDIDATES IN THOSE POSITIONS, WHICH WE ALSO KNOW THE STATE HAS BEEN TRYING TO CONTROL AS OF LATE, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NEXT IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING ON THE 18TH.

>> MAYOR JONES: IN CASE IT ADDRESSES ANYONE ELSE'S QUESTIONS, JULIA, HAVE YOU DONE AN ASSESSMENT -- BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAY IN MAY.

IN FACT, THE LEGISLATION ALLOWS YOU EVEN BEYOND THE END OF THE YEAR TO CONSIDER MOVING YOUR ELECTIONS TO JOIN IN NOVEMBER, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT.

HAVE YOU ALL DONE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE COST SAVINGS TO THE HANDFUL OF ISDS. I KNOW YOU REPRESENT SOME ISDS THAT VOTE IN NOVEMBER AND SOME THAT VOTE IN MAY. HAVE YOU DONE A COST ASSESSMENT OF THOSE ISDS

IF THEY WERE TO MOVE TO NOVEMBER? >> GREAT QUESTION.

WE DID INVESTIGATE HOW THE CITY AND THEN ALSO OTHER SMALLER MUNICIPALITIES ARE CURRENTLY PAYING FOR THE ELECTION. WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW WE ARE SHARING THE COST, IN THE MAY ELECTION, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF OUR MUNICIPALITIES, BECAUSE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE HAVE HAD THE ALAMO COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S BOND ALONG WITH COSA, AGAIN, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY ISDS MOVED OVER, IF COSA MOVES OVER WITH US. IF ANY OF THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES MOVE OVER WITH US. BUT IF, SAY, JUST THE ISDS MOVED ALONG WITH COSA, WE DON'T HAVE AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT THAT SAVINGS WOULD BE BECAUSE IT DOES LOOK LIKE WE WOULD POTENTIALLY BE -- IT WOULD COST SLIGHTLY MORE. NOW, THAT TO BE SAID, IF WE WERE LOOKING AT LIMITING WHEN THEY GO INTO A PARTICULAR ELECTION DAY, AS I UNDERSTAND IT.

THEY CAN CUT DOWN THE POTENTIAL COST OF GOING TO AN ELECTION WHERE LESS

[01:10:05]

>> MAYOR JONES: AGAIN, THERE IS NOTHING PREVENTING YOUR ISDS FROM MOVING TO NOVEMBER AS WELL? OKAY. GO AHEAD.

>> SO, THERE WAS A BILL THAT WAS PASSED THIS LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT IF AN ISD DID WANT TO MOVE THEIR ELECTION, THEY COULD DO IT BEFORE 2030.

HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF CHAPTER 11 IN THE EDUCATION CODE, FOR OUR DISTRICTS THAT DON'T SHARE MUNICIPAL BOUNDS WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, THEY WOULD HAVE TO MOVE IF COSA MOVES. THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY TIME-SENSITIVE THING THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT OUR DECISION MAKING AHEAD OF 2030, IF THEY DID WANT TO MOVE OR MAYBE DIDN'T WANT TO MOVE AND FELT LIKE THEY NEEDED TO, BECAUSE OF SOME

OF THE CHANGES. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. >> YEAH.

>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU.

I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION AND TO THE COUNCIL. IT'S ALWAYS HOW WE CAN MAKE OUR COMMUNITY MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FOLKS WE ARE REPRESENTING. AS MANY FOLKS AS POSSIBLE ARE ENGAGED IN THE CITY LEVEL IS IMPORTANT TO ME AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN. FOLKS WHO MAY NOT KNOW ME AND MY FULL PAST, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID IN MY POLITICAL JOURNEY WAS KNOCK ON MY NEIGHBOR'S DOORS ASKING THEM TO VOTE IN THE 2016 ELECTION.

I WAS DOING THIS EXACT WORK OF TRYING TO GET FOLKS OUT TO VOTE.

TALKING TO RENTERS, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, TALKING TO STUDENTS, ORGANIZING AT UTSA. THIS FEELS LIKE A VERY GOOD CULMINATION POINT FOR THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW DO WE GET OUR FOLKS TO TURN OUT. HOW DO WE GET OUR FOLKS TO STAY ENGAGED. HOW DO WE FOLLOW THE LEGACY OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE STILL WITH US WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK. HOW DO YOU FOLLOW THE LEGACY OF OUR EDGEWOOD FOLKS IN DISTRICT 6 WHO CROSSED HIGHWAY 90 AND THE EFFORTS TO MAKE THINGS MORE EQUITABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THAT IS AT THE ROOT OF THIS AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE MY HEART IS HERE AND YET I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS HERE.

I'M GOING TO GET TO ALL OF THEM BUT I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO SPOKE TODAY.

I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS MADE THEIR VOICES HEARD TO MY OFFICE THROUGH E-MAILS, PHONE CALLS, THROUGH OUR SURVEY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE THINGS OPEN THROUGH NEXT WEEK. I WANT TO HEAR ABOUT MY RESIDENTS MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE THINKING ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.

I DON'T THINK I CAN SAY ANYTHING BETTER THAN COUNCILMEMBER KAUR, WHO ENGAGED IN THE DATA ON IT. IT'S SOMETHING WE BOTH CARE ABOUT AND I THINK -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT WORD IS FOR THIS BUT I GUESS IT'S VERY LUCKY IN A WAY.

TODAY WE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE WITH OUR ISDS. HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE MOVING THE NEEDLE IN EDUCATIONAL ACTIONS. IT'S SOMETHING I RAN ON, FRANKLY.

IT'S SOMETHING I RAN ON, WHICH WAS TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO STRENGTHEN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M GRATEFUL THAT THE MAYOR APPOINTED ME TO BE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE, SO THERE IS THIS RENEWED FOCUS ON PUBLIC EDUCATION HERE WITHIN OUR CITY. PART OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY, FOR ME, HAS BEEN TO WORK AS MUCH AS I CAN WITH THE ISDS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE FOLKS I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK WITH, THE SUPERINTENDENTS, THE BOARD MEMBERS, AND THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE FROM INSIST ISD.

NORTHSIDE ISD.THANK YOU TO JULI. I GET STUCK IN THAT I FEEL THAT THIS IS A GOOD THING TO DO. I FEEL IT SOMEWHERE IN ME. I FEEL IT'S A GOOD THING TO DO BECAUSE IT MAKES SENSE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ELECTIONS ARE CONSOLIDATED.

THE VOTERS I TALKED TO SAID, MAY, WHEN IS THIS? AND WE HAD TO CONSTANTLY REMIND THEM. THAT'S OUR CAMPAIGN'S JOB, WE CAN DO THAT.

BUT TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE IS WHAT WE SHOULD TRY TO DO.

IT'S SOMETHING I HAVE TRIED TO DO MY ENTIRE LIFE. IT'S A SHORT LIFE SO FAR.

BUT THEN I GET STUCK WITH HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE ARE MOVING, AS A BODY HERE, WITH THE OTHER GROUPS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO UPLIFT, UPHOLD, AND STRENGTHEN AND IT COMES WITH MAKING SURE WE ARE COMMUNICATING. I WISH WE HAD MORE TIME.

I KNOW IT'S NOT ANYONE'S FAULT. I STILL WOULD LIKE TO FIND

[01:15:04]

I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING I HAVE HEARD FROM EDUCATIONAL LEADERS, I WON'T SAY WHO, BUT THEY HAVE TALKED TO ME ABOUT -- THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THE CITY HAS ENGAGED IN PUBLIC SCHOOL OR EDUCATION IN GENERAL, BUT SOMETIMES WE DO SO A BIT HASTILY AND THEN WE DO SO AND IT BECOMES A BIGGER PROBLEM LATER ON.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING DELIBERATE IN OUR ACTIONS.

I'LL SAY THAT BROADLY THERE BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG CRUX FOR ME AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT. ANOTHER CRUX THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME TOO IS THE CONVERSATION AROUND TURNOUT REPRESENTATION, AGAIN, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

AND I THINK ABOUT MOVING THIS ELECTION. I STRUGGLE TO FIND RESEARCH, AND EVEN WITHIN THE STUDIES TODAY OF HOW THE OFF-CYCLE ELECTIONS WILL MAKE THAT ANY BETTER. I UNDERSTAND WE CAN INCREASE THE CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT TURNOUT IF WE MOVE OUR ELECTION THERE BECAUSE WE'RE THE DRIVERS, WHETHER IT IS CONTESTED OR NOT [INDISCERNIBLE] UNLESS THERE'S A SPECIAL PROPOSITION THERE. I AM GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE THAT WITHIN YOUR OWN RESEARCH IN 2018 -- THE MOST RECENT REPORT HAD A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK, AND IT'S NOT JUST TIMELY, IT'S ALSO BALLOT PROPOSITIONS, ALSO THIS THING.

SO I GET STUCK THERE BECAUSE IF WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT MORE WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE INTENT. IF WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT MORE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR COME OUT TO VOTE, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE INTENT -- AND IT IS MY INTENT. EVEN FOLKS WHO HAVE LOWER EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT ARE COMING OUT TO VOTE TOO. I DON'T THINK OFF-YEAR ELECTIONS DO THAT. I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.

WE KNOW VERY CLEARLY, PRESIDENTIAL AND MID-TERM ELECTIONS BRING OUT THE MOST FOLKS. AGAIN, THE STATE LAW IS VERY RESTRICTIVE ON WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AND DOESN'T ALLOW US TO TALK ABOUT GENERAL AND MID-TERM ELECTION BUT IT'S WORTH THINKING ABOUT HOW WE INCREASE THE TURNOUT. I STILL DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS ONE IS GOING TO DO IT. MAYBE MARGINALLY, AND I CAN APPRECIATE THAT.

I WASN'T ELECTED TO WORK ON MARGINS, FRANKLY, AND I DON'T THINK THAT STILL FITS WITHIN THE CONTEXT WE'RE IN. I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THAT OUT FOR MYSELF.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT I OWE EVERYONE HERE. AND FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK. ARE WE DOING SOMETHING MEANINGFUL OR NOT? I STRUGGLE TO FULLY AGREE WHETHER WE ARE OR NOT. DO I THINK IT'S DETRIMENTAL? NO. I DON'T THINK IT HARMS IN ANY SIGNIFICANT WAY.

I THINK WE CAN STILL WORK ON EDUCATIONAL WORK AND STILL BUILD THE WORLD WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD BUT I GET STUCK IN THIS MOMENT OF IS THIS THE ONE WE NEED TO DO? CAN WE DO A PUBLIC VOTE ON THIS? I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

CAN WE STILL FIND WAYS TO GET THIS AVAILABLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. I THINK THAT'S WORTHWHILE TO ASK OUR STATE LEGISLATORS.

I GET THAT IT'S TOUGH. I HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION BY NEXT WEEK AND I'M GLAD TO DO THAT. I WILL SAY I ENJOY HAVING TO VOTE YES OR NO.

THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS. THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY FOR THIS CONVERSATION.

THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR FOR BRINGING IT UP, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THIS WITH MY SURVEY WITH MY RESIDENTS. THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR JONES: IN CASE IT INFORMS ANYONE ELSE'S QUESTION, PROFESSOR, IF YOU WOULD COME UP, PLEASE. I.T., CAN YOU BRING UP THE SLIDE THAT SAYS TOTAL VOTES CAST IN BEXAR COUNTY OFF-CYCLE ELECTIONS. THE TITLE IS TOTAL BALLOTS CAST IN BEXAR COUNTY OFF-CYCLE ELECTIONS . PROFESSOR MARSHALL, WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL BENEFIT OF MAY AND NOVEMBER IN AN ODD YEAR? IF I CAPTURED YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS SLIDE CORRECTLY, ONE YOU POINTED OUT THERE WAS ACTUALLY LESS ENGAGEMENT BY VOTING GROUPS AROUND MAY. RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY'RE FOCUSED ON NOVEMBER AND THE PRIMARY RELATED TO THAT. SO THERE'S LESS ENGAGEMENT IN MAY. THERE IS CERTAINLY NOT AN ASSOCIATION OF VOTING WITH MAY. ON TOP OF THE FACT IN MAY WE HAVE POTENTIALLY MORE

[01:20:05]

PLEASE CORRECT ME. >> THAT'S CORRECT. IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY IS IN SEPTEMBER AND CONSTITUTION DAY IS IN SEPTEMBER. THOSE ARE BIG DAYS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND IN HIGH SCHOOLS TO GET FOLKS REGISTERED. AND IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THEM TO BE ABLE, YOU KNOW, TO VOTE AND DO MORE WHEN THEY GO OUT TO VOTE.

I THINK THE ISSUE WITH THE YOUNG FOLKS IN HIGH SCHOOL IS THAT IN SEPTEMBER, FOR NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY, NOT VERY MANY OF THEM ARE 18 YET, WHICH IS WHY WE TRY TO GO IN THE SPRING TO GET THEM WHEN THEY HAVE MOSTLY TURNED 18 TO GET THEM REGISTERED. THOSE ARE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES.

BUT I JUST WANT TO ADD TOO, THAT YOU'RE COMPLETELY CORRECT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OFF-CYCLE ELECTIONS. THE REASON THAT OFF-CYCLE ELECTIONS WERE IMPLEMENTED DURING THE PROGRESSIVE ERA WAS TO REDUCE VOTER TURNOUT OF IMMIGRANTS TO GET RID OF THE PARTY MACHINES THAT WERE VIEWED AS CORRUPT.

THE LEGACY OF THE PROGRESSIVE ERA WAS TO REDUCE THE INTENTION OF OFF-CYCLE ELECTIONS WAS TO REDUCE VOTER PARTICIPATION AMONG THE WORKING CLASS, AMONG IMMIGRANTS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE SEE. YOU'RE RIGHT.

WE'RE MOVING FROM REALLY OFF-CYCLE TO A LITTLE BIT LESS OFF-CYCLE.

BUT THAT'S THE OPTION THAT YOU HAVE. >> MAYOR JONES: IT MAKES

IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER, POTENTIALLY, TO YOUR POINT. >> I WANT TO ADD THAT NO ONE'S REALLY MENTIONED THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ELECTIONS HAPPENING IN NOVEMBER, OBVIOUSLY AFFECT ALL OF US AS RESIDENTS OF THE STATE.

I THINK ANOTHER ARGUMENT WOULD BE THAT DO WE WANT OUR CITIES TO BE BETTER REPRESENTED IN WHAT THE STATE'S DOING ON THOSE, WHERE THE TURNOUT IS OFTEN EXTREMELY LOW. AND I THINK OUR VOICES IN GENERAL, AS AN ELECTORATE, ARE NOT HEARD IN THOSE ELECTIONS AS THEY SHOULD BE. SOME OF THE TURNOUT IS LESS THAN 5% IN THOSE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ELECTIONS, WHICH IS

RIDICULOUS. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.

>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, GRACIELA, AND MANUEL FOR GIVING YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.

WHAT I VALUE ABOUT GRACIELA'S PUBLIC COMMENT, IS EVERY TIME SHE COMES TO THE PODIUM I LEARN SOMETHING NEW. IT WAS GREAT TO LEARN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SOUTHWEST VOTERS AND THAT HISTORY. NO DOUBT ELECTIONS ARE THE BEDROCK OF OUR DEMOCRACY AND THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT I DON'T TAKE LIGHTLY, NOR DO I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE ONE THAT WE HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE ON.

AND I'M HOPEFUL BEYOND THIS CONVERSATION WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT VOTER ENGAGEMENT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW WE CONTINUE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC TO ENSURE WE HAVE WELL-INFORMED VOTERS GOING TO THE POLLS, WHETHER IT'S A MAY OR NOVEMBER ELECTION.

BUT WHEN I RECEIVED THE MEMO FROM THE MAYOR ABOUT THE WORK THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS DID AND HOW THEY ADOPTED THIS UNANIMOUSLY, I REACHED OUT TO A DALLAS CITY COUNCILMEMBER TO UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT IN WHICH THIS WAS INITIATED AND THE WORK THAT WAS DONE. WHAT ADAM SHARED WITH ME WAS THERE WAS A LOT OF LEGWORK PUT IN IN TERMS THAT THEIR CITY COUNCIL TOOK THIS TO THE VOTERS OF DALLAS.

SO, JEFF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH A BIT OF THE HISTORY OF THE INITIATION OF THIS BILL AND SOME OF THE WORK THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS DID LEADING UP TO THE VOTE TO CHANGE THEIR ELECTIONS FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER?

>> COYLE: SURE, COUNCILWOMAN. I THINK MOSTLY YOU SET IT UP PERFECTLY. THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL DECIDED TO PUT AN ITEM ON THE BALLOT FOR DALLAS VOTERS, AND THEY APPROVED IT.

THE ITEM ON THE BALLOT TALKED ABOUT MOVING FROM THE MAY ELECTIONS -- I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THE EXACT LANGUAGE. IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE INTENT WAS TO MOVE IT TO NOVEMBER. BUT BECAUSE AT THE TIME THE DEADLINE IN STATE LAW HAD NOT BEEN EXTENDED, THEY COULDN'T MOVE IT TO NOVEMBER WITHOUT ENABLING LEGISLATION

[01:25:01]

IN A HOME-RULE CITY LIKE OURS, THAT'S THE CHOICE YOU'RE DISCUSSING HERE.

>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT HISTORY, JEFF.

I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT -- THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, JEFF.

IS THE IMPORTANCE THAT DALLAS DID TAKE THIS OUT TO THEIR VOTERS TO HAVE A SAY.

I APPRECIATE THE HAND RAISING AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING BUT I THINK THERE'S VALUE IN GOING TO THE BALLOT BOX TO EXPRESS YOUR POSITION IN TERMS OF IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH MOVING FORWARD OR NOT.

WHILE IT DID PASS OVERWHELMINGLY IN DALLAS, I DO THINK SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS DESERVE THE SAME TYPE OF ENGAGEMENT, INPUT, AND OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE BALLOT BOX. IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT ON MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS WITH THEIR SAISDS, I WANT TO THANK DR. KAUR FOR HER LEADERSHIP, ENSURING SHE WORKS WITH THE ISDS. THIS IS A PRIMARY AREA OF CONCERN FOR MY TEAM AS WELL.

FOUR OUT OF OUR FIVE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN DISTRICT 5 HAVE THEIR ELECTIONS DURING MAY. WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS COULD POTENTIALLY DRIVE VOTER TURNOUT, MY CONCERN IS ALSO TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT PASSING THE BILL TO OUR ISDS, WHICH ARE ALREADY SEVERELY UNDERFUNDED AND ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR MORE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO SUPPORT OUR KIDS. I WOULDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE MAKING A MOVE THAT'S GOING TO POTENTIALLY REMOVE FUNDING FROM OUT OF THE CLASSROOM BECAUSE OF A CHANGE THAT WE MADE HERE AT THE CITY.

I WANT TO BE SURE, WITH THE DISCUSSION THAT'S TAKING PLACE, I'M EQUIPPED WITH ALL THE INFORMATION BEFORE I MAKE A DECISION NEXT WEEK. BUT THAT IS A PRIORITY.

I KNOW IT'S A VERY SHORT TIMELINE. I DON'T KNOW, ERIK, HAVE YOU HEARD OF MY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT'S HAD THE TIME TO CRUNCH NUMBERS TO SEE WHAT THAT FINANCIAL IMPACT WOULD POTENTIALLY BE FOR THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT?

>> WALSH: NO, MA'AM, I HAVEN'T. BUT I HAVE ALSO ONLY SPOKEN, AS PART OF THE FOLLOW-UP, PRIMARILY WITH JULIA. BECAUSE THERE ARE 15, 16, 17 SCHOOL DISTRICTS. I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT BUT WE COULD FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

>> CASTILLO: I ALSO WANT TO THANK MR. KRAFT FOR BEING HERE.

SUPERINTENDENT OF NORTHSIDE ISD. BUT TO THAT POINT, THERE ARE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN DISTRICT 5, LIKE NORTHSIDE, THAT HAVE SEVERAL COUNTIES THAT INTERSECT . WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT TO BEXAR COUNTY.

THERE'S BANDERA AND MEDINA THAT ALSO INTERSECT WITH THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT'S IN D5. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING MINDFUL MOVING FORWARD WITH ANY POLICY CHANGE THAT MAY IMPACT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I WANT TO THANK JULIA FOR THIS ONE-PAGER THAT SHOWS THERE ARE COSTS CHANGING THE ELECTIONS. THAT ALSO GOES TO THE POINT THAT I'M HEARING FROM CONSTITUENTS. THOSE THAT HAVE EXPRESSED THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTIVE OF CHANGING, THEY BELIEVE THAT IT'S GOING TO SAVE THE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS.

AS COUNCILMEMBER DR. KAUR MENTIONED, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOU'RE A PROPERTY OWNER AND YOU LOOK AT YOUR TAX BILL, THE MAJORITY OF THAT BILL IS FOR THE ISD.

ULTIMATELY, SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS WHO OWN PROPERTY WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE TO PAY FOR WHATEVER CHANGE WE MAKE REGARDING LOCAL ELECTIONS. I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT, YES, IT WILL LIKELY, COULD POTENTIALLY, CAN SAVE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO MONEY BUT ULTIMATELY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS WILL CONTINUE TO FOOT THE BILL FOR ELECTIONS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THAT KEY POINT IS EMPHASIZED. SO, ANOTHER POINT -- I JUST WANT TO THANK THE PROFESSOR FROM RICE UNIVERSITY FOR HER PRESENTATION BECAUSE MY TEAM HAD BEEN LOOKING AT DATA.

SIMILAR TO THE POINT THAT COUNCILMEMBER DR. KAUR RAISED , WHEN WE LOOK AT HOUSTON, WHO HAS HAD ODD NOVEMBER ELECTIONS FOR QUITE SOMETIME, THEIR TURNOUT HARRIS COUNTY-WIDE WAS 17%, SIMILAR TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S JUNE ELECTION.

WE KNOW THE INTENT IS TO ENGAGE MORE VOTERS BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT HARRIS COUNTY, HOUSTON, THERE'S NOT MUCH OF A SHIFT IN PARTICIPATION. I HEAR THE CONCERNS ABOUT VOTER FATIGUE, BUT FOR A DISTRICT THAT HAS OVER FIVE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, MY RESIDENTS ARE STILL GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO GO OUT AND VOTE IN MAY. BUT I DO BELIEVE, AT THE CORE OF THIS CONVERSATION, IS MORE OF VOTER APATHY, RIGHT? WHEN WE TALK TO SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS AND FOLKS WHO MAYBE REGISTERED BUT AREN'T PARTICIPATING, THEY HAVE ERODED TRUST WITH GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THEY FEEL THAT DECISIONS ARE MADE FOR THEM AND THEN EXPLAINED TO THEM LATER. RATHER THAN ENGAGING,

[01:30:04]

I THINK THAT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE ALL HAVE, WHETHER WE'RE A BUREAUCRAT OR ELECTED OFFICIAL, TO CONTINUE TO REBUILD THAT TRUST AND ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY. PATRICK, A DISTRICT 5 CONSTITUENT, CAME TO OUR OFFICE ON A SATURDAY. I HAPPENED TO BE THERE CLEANING UP THE OFFICE.

HE NEEDED ASSISTANCE AND WE CALLED FOLKS WHO COULD PROVIDE ASSISTANCE.

THAT DAY WE WEREN'T ABLE TO CONNECT HIM TO THE RESOURCE HE NEEDED, BUT I'M ABLE HE WAS ABLE TO GET CONNECTED TO THE APPROPRIATE RESOURCE. COME MAY, IT'S ALREADY TOO LATE TO VOTE IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. HE SAID, TERI, I WANT TO VOTE FOR YOU. I HAVE NEVER PARTICIPATED BEFORE.

PATRICK, ELECTION DAY, IT JUST PASSED. BUT POINT BEING, THAT'S THE WORK AND THE ROLE OF WHETHER YOU'RE PATRICK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES OR THE COUNCIL MEMBER, IT'S TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY TO REBUILD THAT TRUST AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS. I THINK THAT SHOULD BE PART OF OUR SHARED RESPONSIBILITY. THERE'S A HARVARD STUDY THAT HIGHLIGHTS TYPICALLY -- NOT SPECIFIC TO SAN ANTONIO, OF COURSE.

THAT IF YOU MOVE ELECTION DATES, IT'S TYPICALLY STILL THE HIGHER EDUCATED INDIVIDUALS THAT CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE. SO I THINK IT'S GOING BACK TO THE VOTER APATHY PART AND HOW WE REENGAGE COMMUNITY AND WE BUILD THAT TRUST.

IT'S BEEN ERODED WITH SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS. THAT STUDY TAKES A TRANSNATIONAL APPROACH AND FINDS THE TREND, THE ISSUE OF VERY IMPORTANT IS NOT UNIQUE TO SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS OR THE UNITED STATES. IT'S SOMETHING THAT MANY COUNTRIES ARE GRAPPLING WITH ON HOW TO REBUILD THAT TRUST.

>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS. >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I REALLY AM GLAD, MAYOR, THAT YOU PUT THIS ON FOR DISCUSSION. BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT THE VERY SAME THINGS THAT WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT. WE WANT MAXIMUM TURNOUT AND WE WANT THE MOST COST SAVINGS. AND MY FIRST QUESTION IS FOR JEFF.

CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MANY TIMES THIS HAS GONE BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE TO MOVE AN

ELECTION? >> COYLE: I HAVE A BACKUP SLIDE.

I THINK IT'S 16, CLIFF. THANK YOU. SO I DON'T KNOW THE QUESTION ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES IT'S GONE TO THE LEGISLATURE FIRST YEAR THAT THIS SECTION WENT INTO STATE LAW THAT SAID ESSENTIALLY THAT A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION CAN MOVE FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER, IF THEY DO IT BY A CERTAIN DATE, WAS 1993. OVER THE PAST -- THIS IS 17 LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, 11 TIMES THERE HAVE BEEN A CHANGE THAT PASSED THE LEGISLATURE TO EXTEND THAT DEADLINE. NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE 2015, THE 84TH LEGISLATURE, THAT'S THE LAST TIME PRIOR TO THIS PAST SESSION THAT APPLIED TO ALL CITIES.

THE DEADLINE WAS 2016 AND IT SAT THAT WAY UNTIL 2025. BUT THERE WERE SOME OTHER CITIES THAT WENT AND GOT BRACKETED BILLS DONE THAT SPECIFICALLY APPLIED TO THEM TO ALLOW THEM TO MAKE THE CHANGE. THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT, I HOPE I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, IS 17 LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS THE DEADLINE HAS

BEEN EXTENDED 11 TIMES OVER THAT PERIOD. >> SPEARS: SO I WOULD SAY

IT'S FAIRLY COMMONLY DONE ACROSS THE STATE. >> COYLE: I'LL LET THE DATA SPEAK FOR ITSELF. BUT, YES, THAT'S THE HISTORY OF IT.

>> SPEARS: THANKS, JEFF. I WANT TO THANK PROFESSOR MARSHALL FOR YOUR STUDY BECAUSE IT REALLY DID HELP BRING SOME DATA FOR US TO LOOK AT.

I FOUND IT SO INTERESTING TO SEE THAT OVERWHELMINGLY TEXANS AND AMERICANS PREFER CONSOLIDATED ELECTION, CORRECT? WHICH REQUIRES IT BE AN EVEN-YEAR ELECTION. IF YOU'RE WITH FEDERAL AND STATE.

>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY PLACE THAT HAS ONE ELECTION FOR EVERYBODY, LIKE ONCE EVERY TWO YEARS. ALL OF THE STATE, FEDERAL, LOCAL ARE ON ONE BALLOT SO CONSOLIDATED CAN BE PARTIAL. THERE'S SOME FEDERAL, STATE, SOME LOCAL.

OR THERE'S FEDERAL AND STATE TOGETHER OR LOCAL AND FEDERAL TOGETHER.

>> SPEARS: BUT NOT JUST LOCAL? >> I MEAN, IN MAY, IT'S JUST

LOCAL. MAY IS JUST LOCAL. >> SPEARS: SO YOUR SLIDE HERE -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT SLIDE NUMBER IT IS. IT'S CONSOLIDATED, MEANING

MORE THAN ONE LEGISLATIVE BODY IS ON THE BALLOT. >> OR JUST GOVERNMENT LEVEL.

[01:35:01]

FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL. >> SPEARS: OKAY. SO THAT BRINGS ME TO KIND OF WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT MAXIMUM VOTER TURNOUT, IT'S MOVING TO AN EVEN YEAR. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS LEGISLATION SAYS ONLY AN ODD YEAR, BUT THAT DOESN'T PROHIBIT US FROM GOING BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE AND ASKING FOR THEM TO HELP WITH US GETTING THIS MOVED TO AN EVEN YEAR.

AND IN THAT TIME-FRAME, WE'RE ABLE TO GO OUT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, GET THEIR FEEDBACK ON ADDING SIX MONTHS TO OUR TERM. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE, THAT WOULD MEAN WE WOULD VOTE ON AN ADDITIONAL BUDGET. AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT. THAT WE WOULD VOTE ON A BUDGET AND THEN LEAVE OFFICE, POTENTIALLY. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO MY CONSTITUENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE DATA ON RUNNING NOVEMBER ODD WITH NOVEMBER EVEN YEARS AND MAY ODD WITH MAY EVEN YEARS AND LOOK AT HOW THIS IMPACTS OTHER SUBURBAN CITIES AND ISDS, THE ALAMO COMMUNITY COLLEGES, THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES. I THINK ULTIMATELY WE NEED A VOTE FROM OUR RESIDENTS BEFORE WE MOVE ANY ELECTIONS AROUND. I WANT MAXIMUM VOTER PARTICIPATION AND IT'S MOVING TO AN EVEN YEAR. WE'LL SEE THAT.

THE NUMBERS ARE JUST EXPONENTIALLY HIGHER IN AN EVEN YEAR.

IT WOULD ELIMINATE POTENTIAL VOTER CONFUSION. I THINK AN ODD NOVEMBER ELECTION IS JUST A MAY ELECTION WITH COLDER WEATHER.

MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S BEEN PRETTY WARM FROM NOVEMBER.

BUT TO ME THE IMPACT IS IN AN EVEN YEAR AND THERE'S A LOT OF DATA SHOWING THAT WE CAN GO BACK TO THEM AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE INTERESTED IN MOVING OUR ELECTIONS AND WE WANT THE MAXIMUM TURNOUT AND WE WANT THE MAXIMUM COST SAVINGS.

AN EVEN-YEAR ELECTION ACCOMPLISHES THAT. WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A LITTLE TIME -- MORE TIME TO TALK TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND COLLECT A LOT OF REALLY SOLID DATA.

THIS WOULD ALLOW US A LITTLE TIME TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN DALLAS AS WELL.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR STUDY. THIS IS A LOT OF GOOD DATA IN IT. BUT I WOULD SAY WE NEED TO MOVE ON OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND LOOK AT MOVING TO AN EVEN-YEAR ELECTION CYCLE AND TALK TO OUR CONSTITUENTS ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DON'T HAVE A LOT THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN SAID SO I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE IT QUICK AND HIGHLIGHT A FEW POINTS.

WE GOT THIS MEMO FROM THE MAYOR ON NOVEMBER 25TH, I BELIEVE.

IT WAS THE TUESDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING. AND THE SUGGESTION IS THAT WE VOTE ON DECEMBER 18TH. SO LESS THAN A MONTH HERE TO DISCUSS THIS WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO. AND FRANKLY, THAT JUST STRIKES ME AS WRONG. AS WAS HIGHLIGHTED EARLIER, DALLAS I GUESS REALLY DID IT THE RIGHT WAY. THEY TOOK IT TO THE VOTERS. I THINK IT WAS PROPOSITION D ON THE DALLAS BALLOT IN NOVEMBER OF 2024. AND THE VOTERS SAID WE WANT TO DO THIS. AND SO CONSEQUENTLY, THEIR STATE LEGISLATORS WENT TO -- GOT INTO SESSION EARLIER THIS YEAR AND THEY MOVED THE BILL THROUGH THE, WITHOUT OPPOSITION. RIGHT? YOU SAID IT WAS A PERMISSIVE

BILL? >> COYLE: IF YOU LOOK AT THE FOR AND AGAINST, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF FOLKS SIGNED UP BEFORE AND A COUPLE SIGNED UP OPPOSED.

>> WHYTE: IT WENT THROUGH. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED NOW 11 OUT OF THE LAST 17 LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS. SO, YOU KNOW, IT APPEARS TO ME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR 2029 ELECTION. THERE'S ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN 2027. WHY WOULD WE NOT TAKE THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO TO TALK ABOUT THIS WITH THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO? MAYBE WE PUT IT ON A BALLOT HERE FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO WEIGH IN, JUST LIKE THEY GOT TO DO IN DALLAS.

[01:40:02]

AND, YOU KNOW, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO BROUGHT UP VOTER TRUST.

SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT APATHY AND HOW IT'S DUE TO THE LACK OF THE CITIZENS' TRUST IN WHAT GOES ON IN CITY GOVERNMENT. AND I THINK DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS, MOVING THE ELECTIONS WITHOUT EVEN TALKING TO THE RESIDENTS, JUST ADDS TO THAT VOTER DISTRUST. IT'S ANOTHER INSTANCE WHERE THE CITIZENS SAY, WELL, THEY'RE DOING WHATEVER THEY WANT.

THEY'RE EXTENDING THEIR TERM IN OFFICE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO.

THEY'RE GETTING TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER BUDGET SESSION, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY WANT TO. WE GOT NO SAY. AND SO, I THINK THIS IS AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION, AS COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO SAID.

I'M WITH HER ON THIS. I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS A BAD IDEA TO MOVE THE ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER, I REALLY DON'T. I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT FURTHER. I THINK WE NEED TO TALK WITH THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO AND THEN DECIDE. WE ARE NOT BEING HELD AT GUNPOINT TO MAKE THIS DECISION A WEEK FROM TOMORROW. WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT.

WE CAN DECIDE IN 2027 AND IF WE MAKE THE CHANGE IN 2027, OUR 2029 ELECTIONS CAN STILL MOVE FORWARD IN THE NEW MANNER, IF THAT'S WHAT THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO

WANT. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN MUNGIA. MY APOLOGIES. COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ.

>> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TO SPEAK ON YOUR WORK AND TO THE PROFESSOR FROM RICE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND SHARING THAT REPORT WITH US. I'LL PREFACE THIS BY SAYING WE WERE ALL ELECTED IN MAY. AND I BELIEVE WE ARE PROBABLY THE MOST DIVERSE COUNCIL IN THE HISTORY OF THIS CITY. AND I THINK THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY AND WHO ELECTED US. I THINK VOTER ENGAGEMENT IS EMBEDDED IN WHO I AM AND WHAT I GREW UP LEARNING. I'M THAT FRIEND THAT EVERYONE GOES TO ABOUT WHO DO I VOTE FOR? WHERE DO I GO? SO I BELIEVE IN THIS FULLY. PARTICIPATION IS KEY IN OUR DEMOCRACY.

AND WITH THAT, I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY A BAD IDEA, BUT IT'S A RUSHED IDEA. AND IT'S AN IDEA THAT DESERVES INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE THE MOST AFFECTED. THOSE ARE OUR ISDS.

I SEE DR. KRAFT HERE WITH NORTHSIDE ISD. AND DR. DURAN, NORTHSIDE ISD BOARD MEMBER. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND CHILDREN AT NORTHSIDE EVERY DAY. I KNOW YOU HAVE A VERY BUSY SCHEDULE. A LOT OF OTHER THINGS YOU COULD BE DOING.

SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS -- AND I DON'T KNOW IF JULIA CAN ANSWER THIS.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN OR HELP US EXPLAIN HOW WE COULD START TO ESTIMATE THE COST OF THIS ELECTION? I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR HERE, RIGHT? AND I KNOW I DON'T KNOW -- SHE'S NOT HERE.

OR IF WE HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSION WITH HER. I IMAGINE YOU MIGHT BE THE ONE TO HELP ME EXPLAIN WHERE COULD WE START TO ESTIMATE THE COST OF THESE ELECTIONS?

>> SURE. WHEN THIS FIRST CAME UP, STARTED ENGAGING WITH ALL OF OUR ISDS AS TO HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST FOR EACH ISD. COULD WE UNDERSTAND IF THEY WANTED TO STAY IN MAY AND THEY HAD MUNICIPALITIES THEY COULD PARTNER WITH IN ORDER TO STAY IN MAY, WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENT COSTS FOR THE POLLING STATIONS.

WENT THROUGH A LOT OF THE CITY CHARTERS AND TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES TO SEE WHO WAS ON IN MAY VERSUS NOVEMBER, ODD YEARS.

SO AFTER ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH THAT EXERCISE AND LOOKING AT A LOT OF THE INVOICES, WERE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR WHO SHARED THAT, AS DR. KAUR MENTIONED, THAT WE, AS ALL ENTITIES SHARE THE COST OF ALL POLLING STATIONS ACROSS BEXAR COUNTY. AND SO FOR MAY, WE CURRENTLY

[01:45:02]

AGAIN, IF WE WANTED TO OPEN ALL OF THOSE POLLING STATIONS.

NOW, IF NORTHSIDE AND OTHER ENTITIES WANTED TO SAY WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT CHANGE, FOR NORTHSIDE THAT IS UP TO A DIFFERENCE OF POTENTIALLY SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF TEACHERS.

THAT'S A DIFFICULT BUDGETARY DECISION, TO SAY THE LEAST. BUT LET'S SAY IF NORTHSIDE WANTED TO CUT DOWN COSTS, THEN THEY COULD PICK OUT WHICH POLLING SITES THEY THOUGHT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. SO, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WOULD CUT DOWN ON THE ACCESS OR THE BENEFIT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WITH COUNTY-WIDE POLLING PLACES. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S DIFFICULT TO ASSESS WHAT THE DIFFERENCES OF COST WOULD BE. YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH THE ENTITIES THAT ARE LEFT IN THAT MAY DATE OR THE ENTITIES THAT ARE JOINING NOVEMBER. SO IN NOVEMBER, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE, INSTEAD OF MAY WE'VE GOT TEN MUNICIPALITIES, AS I WAS ABLE TO SEE.

IN NOVEMBER, WE HAVE SIX MUNICIPALITIES. AND THOSE MUNICIPALITIES, JUST BY DOING KIND OF SOME QUICK REVIEW OF THEIR VOTER REGISTRATION, HAVE LESS VOTERS. AND SO THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR LESS COST OF THAT ELECTION, WHICH WOULD POTENTIALLY PUT MORE COST ON THE LARGER GROUPS THAT WOULD COME INTO THAT ELECTION. IF THEY WERE COMING ONE AT A TIME, IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT

THAN IF EVERYBODY GOES TOGETHER. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. I KNOW WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS NOVEMBER 2025 ELECTION WITH THE SPURS, BUT I THINK IF IT TELLS US ANYTHING, IT'S THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IT TAKES TO BRING THOSE FOLKS OUT. THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES FOR ANYBODY THAT'S ON A BALLOT. AND SO THAT INCREASE IN TURNOUT, I THINK THERE ARE SO MANY FACTORS THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN TOUCHED ON. AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE -- I DON'T WANT THAT TO JUST -- TO ASSUME THAT THAT NOVEMBER '25, IT'S ALMOST LIKE AN ANOMALY, IN A LOT OF WAYS. THAT WAS A VERY WELL-FUNDED MACHINE THAT BROUGHT THOSE OUT. WE KNOW THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO BRING FOLKS OUT. IT'S KNOCKING ON DOORS. IT'S SENDING MAILERS, IT'S TEXTING THEM. IT'S A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS WE HAVE TO DO TO BRING FOLKS OUT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT BEFORE WE MAKE THIS DECISION, WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS, I GUESS IN GENERAL? IF NOT NOW, WHAT ARE OTHER OPTIONS? I DON'T KNOW IF ERIK OR JEFF CAN ANSWER THAT.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILWOMAN. OBVIOUSLY, I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME EXPLORATION OF THIS IDEA AT THE DAIS. I'LL ARTICULATE IT AS I SEE IT FROM THIS POSITION. I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO ADVOCATE FOR A CHANGE THAT MAYBE VOTERS HAVE CONSIDERED, THIS COUNCIL HAS CONSIDERED. AND THAT MIGHT OPEN THE WINDOW AGAIN. SO THERE IS A WAY FORWARD THAT COULD HAPPEN BEFORE THE '29 ELECTION CYCLE, WHICH IS THE FIRST TIME THIS WOULD AFFECT THIS BODY.

I THINK THAT'S ONE PATH. >> GONZALEZ: I GUESS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FIESTA, MY COLLEAGUE TO THE RIGHT OF ME HAS MENTIONED AND HAS HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FIESTA COMMISSION. WE COULD ALWAYS MOVE FIESTA. THAT IS AN OPTION.

WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER THAT. >>

>> GONZALEZ: EXCUSE ME? WE SHOULD. I'M ALL FOR THAT.

LET'S DO THAT. I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

WE CAN THE OTHER CONCERN I HAVE TOO IS MOVING TO NOVEMBER, I THINK WE MIGHT LOSE A SATURDAY IN THAT PROCESS. DOES ANYONE HAVE THE CALENDAR OF A NOVEMBER

[01:50:01]

>> I HAVE NOT DONE THAT MATH, COUNCILWOMAN. I CAN TRY AND DO IT QUICKLY.

>> GONZALEZ: I HAVE AND I THINK WE DO. >> AN EARLY VOTE SATURDAY,

IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, CORRECT? >> GONZALEZ: ELECTION DAY IS ON TUESDAY SO WE LOSE THAT ELECTION DAY BUT DO WE GET IT IN THAT EARLY VOTE?

>> I'LL CONFIRM. >> GONZALEZ: THAT'S A CONCERN FOR ME BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WORKING FAMILIES DEPEND ON THOSE WEEKENDS TO VOTE.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE THINK ABOUT THAT AS WELL. ULTIMATELY, AGAIN, I THINK -- I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS A BAD IDEA, BUT I DO THINK IT'S RUSHED AND I THINK WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO BRING OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO THE TABLE.

WE ARE VERY LUCKY IN THIS CITY TO HAVE THE BEXAR COUNTY EDUCATION COALITION, WHICH IS THE LARGEST COALITION OF SUPERINTENDENTS IN THE STATE.

AND THEY'RE HOUSED HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. WE HAVE DR. WOODS, FORMER SUPERINTENDENT WHO IS NOW DIRECTOR OF TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO . WE EVEN HAVE THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.

WE HAVE THESE FOLKS AT OUR DISPOSAL AND WE NEED TO BRING THEM IN SOONER THAN LATER TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS. I DO NOT WANT THIS TO FALL ON THE

>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING OUT HERE.

THANK YOU, MANUEL, FOR BEING HERE. WHAT WAS THE FIRST ELECTION YOU EVER WORKED IN? WAS THAT GEORGE WASHINGTON? [LAUGHTER]

WHICH YEAR? >> THAT'S AMAZING. MY FIRST ELECTION WAS 2009. WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

MUCH LIKE COUNCILMAN GALVAN, I STARTED IN A MAYORAL CAMPAIGN, I WAS BLOCK WALKING AND CALLING FOLKS AND THINKING HOW IT WAS DIFFERENT AND INTERESTING HOW THE ELECTION OF THE CITY WAS IN MAY. SEEING PRESIDENT OBAMA WIN THAT ELECTION WAS AN OPTIMISTIC TIME. I WAS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER WHO STOOD IN A NOVEMBER EVEN-YEAR ELECTION. I SAID ONE GUY WHO SAID I'M JUST HERE TO VOTE FOR BETO AND I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE.

WE DID LOSE SOME VOTES IN THAT ELECTION. JUST TO SAY, AND I THINK A VERY GOOD CONVERSATION IS BEING HAD UP HERE. I THINK EVERYBODY HERE, NO MATTER WHAT SIDE THEY'RE ON, WANTS PEOPLE TO SHOW UP TO VOTE AND WANTS THE BEST DECISION FOR EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I THINK EVERYBODY'S COMING FROM THE BEST PLACE OF HEART. I DID HAPPEN TO LOOK AT SOME INFORMATION IN DISTRICT 4. AND THIS IS VERY PERSONAL TO ME BECAUSE DISTRICT 4 IS TRADITIONALLY THE SECOND LOWEST VOTER TURNOUT DISTRICT IN SAN ANTONIO.

WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHANGING THE ELECTION AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET MORE FOLKS TO THE BALLOT, IT'S EXTREMELY PERSONAL TO ME AS WELL.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VERY LOW TURNOUT. I WOULD SAY THAT WE DID THE DATA. IT PEAKED IN MAY 2021 AT 8,000, OR 17% OF MY COMMUNITY. OF COURSE, AT THAT TIME IT WAS A VERY CONTROVERSIAL AND HIGHLY-CONTESTED PROP B ON THE BALLOT. THIS PAST NOVEMBER, WE ACTUALLY SAW THE GREATEST TURNOUT IN DISTRICT 4 AT 19% WITH 10,000-PLUS VOTERS COMING UP TO VOTE. MOSTLY, I AM SURE, ON THIS FIRST PROPOSITION.

I UNDERSTAND THE COST WAS VERY DIFFERENT. MY CAMPAIGN WAS NOWHERE NEAR $7 MILLION, AS THE OTHER CAMPAIGN. BUT I CAN GUARANTEE YOU $7 MILLION WAS NOT SPENT JUST IN DISTRICT 4, AND YET WE HAD A HIGH TURNOUT.

AND I THINK SOMEONE MENTIONED PEOPLE REALLY COME TO THE BALLOT FOR VOTER ISSUES AND PROPOSITIONS AND IDEAS. AND THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE HIGH TURNOUT, NO MATTER WHAT MONTH THE ELECTION'S IN. I DO THINK, HOWEVER, CONSOLIDATION INTO NOVEMBER IS WHERE WE SHOULD BE. AND I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND THE REST OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE NOT IN NOVEMBER, TO CONSIDER WHY STAY IN MAY AT THIS POINT? WHY NOT GO TO NOVEMBER? WE HAVE A LIST HERE OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE, OF COURSE, IN MAY.

INCLUDING OUR SAISD. DR. KRAFT, THANK YOU. IT SEEMS YOU'RE IN HALF THE CITY IN NORTHSIDE ISD. I SEE A COUPLE OF MY DISTRICTS ALSO.

SOUTHWEST, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SEPARATE ELECTION ISSUE WHICH NEEDS TO BE FIXED AS

[01:55:03]

CAN YOU TELL ME WHICH OTHER SCHOOLS, JULIA, ARE IN NOVEMBER, CURRENTLY?

>> YES. WE HAVE ONE DISTRICT THAT IS IN NOVEMBER ODD YEARS.

THAT COVERS SOME OF BEXAR COUNTY. AND A LITTLE BIT OF SAN ANTONIO. THAT'S SCHERTZ-CIBOLO. WE HAVE FOUR THAT ARE IN NOVEMBER EVEN. SO THAT IS SOUTH SAN ANTONIO, EAST CENTRAL, SOMERSET, AND EDGEWOOD. AND THEN WE HAVE ONE DISTRICT THAT IS MAY EVEN, THAT'S NORTH EAST ISD . WE DO HAVE SOME OUTER-EDGE DISTRICTS -- LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THEY'RE ONE OF THE ENTITIES WE WOULD SPLIT COST WITH.

THAT'S COMAL ISD IS IN -- IF I HAVE INDICATED ON THE SHEET.

MEDINA VALLEY IS IN ODD MAY YEARS. MAY OF ODD YEARS.

OR MAYBE ODD MAYS, I DON'T KNOW. THAT WAS A TERRIBLE JOKER.

IT'S ODD YEARS IN MAY AND THEN ALSO COMAL. SO IT'S JUST A CONSIDERATION. AGAIN, IN TERMS OF DIVIDING COST, OR THE COST OF JOINING

OR EXITING THE MAY ELECTION. >> MUNGIA: SURE, ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER. I'M ALWAYS VERY SENSITIVE, AS A FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, WHAT THAT DOES TO OUR BUDGETS.

BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH LOOKING INTO. THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR ELECTED OFFICES ARE GOING TO BE IN NOVEMBER. ALL THE FEDERAL LEVEL, YOUR STATE OFFICIALS, YOUR COUNTY OFFICIALS. ALL OF THAT IS IN NOVEMBER.

THAT'S OKAY. YOU CAN SIT DOWN. THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAD. THANK YOU. YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAND THERE. I THINK IT'S ALSO ABOUT CONSOLIDATING.

MAY -- I DON'T KNOW THE ORIGINS OF WHY WE'RE IN MAY. I HAVE TO ASSUME THAT IT'S TRYING TO SEGREGATE US FROM THE LARGER POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL. AS WE KNOW AND AS WE TAKE VOTES UP HERE ALL THE TIME, WE ARE AS CONNECTED TO THOSE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AS EVER BEFORE.

WE ARE PRODUCTS OF THOSE GOVERNMENTS, AS A MATTER OF FACT.

THE STATE TELLS US WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS THE BILL OF RIGHTS AND ALL OF THAT. I THINK TO SAY THAT WE ARE SOMEHOW SPECIAL AND DIFFERENT THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR OWN ELECTION TO FOCUS JUST ON MUNICIPAL ISSUES IS ALSO UNDERCUTTING THE FACT THAT ALL OF THESE MUNICIPAL ISSUES ARE TIED TO STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION POLICIES.

AND TO ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE ELECTED AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL ALSO.

SO WE ARE AS CONNECTED TO THEM AS EVER BEFORE AND I THINK IT'S TIME FOR FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND REALIZE THAT. I THINK CONSOLIDATING TO NOVEMBER SHOWS PEOPLE NOVEMBER IS THE ELECTION TIME.

AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA, THE TOTAL BALLOTS CAST IN BEXAR COUNTY OFF-CYCLE ELECTIONS, SURE, YOU CAN SAY MAY ODD IS HIGHER THAN NOVEMBER ODD, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THE CITY IS ALSO NOT ON THERE. THE NOVEMBER ODD BEING 124,000, 10,000 OR SO SHY WITHOUT THE CITY BEING ON THERE SHOWS IF THE CITY WERE TO BE ON THERE THERE COULD BE AN EXTRA AMOUNT OF VOTERS ON THERE AS WELL.

AND SO I DO THINK, YES, IT'S A TIGHT TURNAROUND. YES, THE STATE HAD THIS PROVISION, BUT WE'RE HERE TO MAKE A DECISION. I THINK WE HAVE PLENTY OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT HAVE WEIGHED IN, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR DECADES, BACK WHEN THERE WERE POLL TAXES. YOU WERE INVOLVED IN THAT BACK THEN. AND SO THESE ARE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND FOR YEARS TRYING TO GET OUT THE VOTE. IT'S NOT ABOUT WELL, THERE'S MORE REPUBLICANS THIS TIME OF THE YEAR AND MORE DEMOCRATS THAT TIME OF THE YEAR. IT'S GETTING SAN ANTONIO TO UNDERSTAND THAT NOVEMBER IS ELECTION TIME. SO TRYING TO HOLD IT IN MAY AND SAYING, NO, IT'S GOT TO BE THIS WAY, THIS IS THE WAY IT'S BEEN. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE THAT IS NOT THE BEST ARGUMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY THIS TIME OF THE YEAR.

THAT'S SORT OF WHERE I COME FROM. EVERYBODY HAS SOME VERY FAIR POINTS ACROSS THE BOARD AND I THINK WE DO OWE IT TO RESIDENTS TO CONSOLIDATE AND TRY OUR BEST TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE TO VOTE AS POSSIBLE. THIS IS A GOOD, BETTER, BEST SITUATION. IT'S NOT THE ULTIMATE BEST SITUATION TO GET OUT VOTERS.

WE KNOW EVEN NOVEMBER IS THE HIGHEST TURNOUT, BUT THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. SO I APPRECIATE THE RIGHT DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ FOR INTERRUPTING YOU WHEN YOU BROUGHT UP FIESTA. I HAD THAT REACTION BECAUSE SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS AGO IN DISTRICT 2, THE IDEA OF REVERSING THE MLK MARCH CAME UP AND THERE WAS UPROAR IN THE DISTRICT. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THE IDEA OF MOVING FIESTA WOULD LOOK LIKE. I DIDN'T MEAN TO DISRESPECT

[02:00:05]

PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION. THEY ARE ENGAGED. AND FOR YEARS NOW, FROM THE LAST THREE ELECTIONS THAT I RAN IN, AND TWO THAT I WORKED ON BEFORE THAT, WE HAVE HEARD THE SAME THING AT THE DOORS. PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF HAVING A DIFFERENT ELECTION EVERY SIX MONTHS. THERE IS RESEARCH THAT IT INCREASES TURNOUT, REDUCES BARRIERS, AND ENGAGES MORE WORKING-CLASS FAMILIES.

I HAVE HEARD COLLEAGUES EXPRESS FRUSTRATION THAT STUDIES ARE COMMISSIONED AND DATA IS GATHERED AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE IGNORED. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS WHERE THE DATA AND THE COMMUNITY ALIGN. I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN Y'ALL'S TAKEAWAYS FROM YOUR ENGAGEMENT NEXT WEEK, BUT IN OUR SURVEY, 80% OF RESIDENTS AGREED WITH MOVING THE ELECTION. 10.3% DISAGREED, CITING A NUMBER OF REASONS. 3.8% SAID IT DIDN'T MATTER, AND 5.8% WERE UNSURE AND NEEDED MORE INFORMATION. THAT IS SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY.

FOLKS HAVE SHARED THEY WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION PROVIDED AND GET THEIR FEEDBACK. A LITTLE BIT RESPONDING TO WHY IT MATTERS TO MY CONSTITUENTS. I REPRESENT THE HISTORICALLY BLACK SIDE OF TOWN, A PART OF TOWN WITH A DEEP CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY. WE ARE WELL AWARE OF VOTER SUPPRESSION AND EFFORTS TO KEEP TURNOUT LOW. I'M SUPPORTIVE HERE BECAUSE THIS WILL REDUCE BARRIERS TO VOTING. IT WILL ADDRESS VOTER FATIGUE, IMPROVE TURNOUT, CONSOLIDATE COST, AND RESPOND TO WHAT MY RESIDENTS KEEP ASKING FOR. AND SO I'M GOING TO NAME A FEW BARRIERS.

SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN NAMED. NUMBER ONE, FIESTA.

IF SOMEONE BELIEVES -- IF YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN ATTENDING FIESTA OR GOING TO AN ELECTION WHERE YOU BELIEVE THAT YOUR ONE VOTE DOES NOT MATTER, WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE CHOOSE TO GO PARTICIPATE IN FIESTA. WHEN THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY, IT HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR ELECTIONS.

THE SECOND ONE, I REPRESENT UIW AND MAY AND JUNE ELECTIONS TAKE PLACE DURING FINALS AT A TIME MY STUDENTS LEAVE TOWN. STUDENTS DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO ENGAGE IN ELECTIONS AND YOU CAN'T SAY YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T VOTE BUT THEN MAKE IT MORE CHALLENGING TO DO SO. OR ALLOW IT TO CONTINUE TO BE MORE CHALLENGING.

I SAY WE GIVE THE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO RISE TO THE OCCASION.

AND THEN, THREE, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN MENTIONED, THERE IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIER THAT IS ENGRAINED IN US FROM A YOUNG AGE THAT ELECTIONS HAPPEN IN NOVEMBER. MOVING OUR ELECTIONS MAKES IT MORE LIKELY THAT PEOPLE MAKE THE CONNECTION THAT WHEN WE TELL THEM ELECTIONS ARE COMING UP, THAT IS IN THE TIME THEY HAVE BEEN TAUGHT THAT ELECTIONS TAKE PLACE, FOR AS LONG AS THEY CAN REMEMBER. WE'RE GOING TO SEE IN A LITTLE BIT A BUNCH OF YARD SIGNS ARE GOING TO START GOING UP FROM JANUARY ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS. PEOPLE DON'T SEE A YARD SIGN AND THINK AN ELECTION IS HAPPENING IN MAY. THEY DON'T. THEY KNOW AN ELECTION IS HAPPENING IN NOVEMBER. TO THAT POINT, I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS A FEW OF THOSE BARRIERS. WITH REGARDS TO ISDS, I THINK THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST COMPELLING PART OF THE CONVERSATION. THERE ARE SOME VALID QUESTIONS ABOUT THE IMPACT ON ISDS. BUT I DO WANT US TO KEEP IN MIND OUT OF 16 OR SO SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ONLY A FEW CURRENTLY RUN ELECTIONS IN MAY. SOME MAY CHOOSE TO ALIGN, OTHERS WON'T.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT WOULD BE OKAY. IN THE EVENT THAT THIS IS -- I WILL SAY IN THE EVENT THIS IS APPROVED AND WE DO MOVE ON THS, WE SHOULD ADOPT, IN OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, THE STANCE THAT WE SUPPORT THEM IN ANY LEGISLATION THEY SEEK. EVEN IF AFTER THEY RECEIVE ALL THE INFORMATION, SOME OF THE ISDS CHOOSE TO KEEP THEIR ELECTIONS IN MAY, WE'RE STILL RELIEVING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VOTERS FROM VOTER FATIGUE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE 763 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN OUR CITY, FOR WHATEVER REASON. I HAVE FIVE SCHOOL

[02:05:01]

ONE OF WHICH DOESN'T HAVE A SCHOOL BOARD AND TWO OF WHICH THAT HAVE ELECTIONS THOSE VOTERS ARE BEING ASKED TO COME OUT IN MAY FOR US. IF WE MOVE, THAT ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR THOSE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO VOTE IN MAY.

I HAVE PARTICULARLY STRONG ABOUT WHETHER WE DO IT OR NOT. I HAVE RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM SAISD THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING THIS ON MONDAY AT THEIR BOARD MEETING TO GET SOME OF THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED. I WILL SAY THAT BECAUSE WE MOVED COUNCIL ELECTIONS TO FOUR-YEAR TERMS AND IT'S BEEN SAID A COUPLE OF TIMES, MOST ISDS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CONFRONT THIS QUESTION DURING OUR OFF-YEAR, REGARDLESS. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO ADDRESS THAT NEED IN A WAY THEY DIDN'T ANTICIPATE OR HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.

THEY COULD DO THEIR ELECTION IN 2029 IMPACT OF WHETHER THEY WANT TO MOVE OR NOT BY 2030. WE REMOVE THAT OPPORTUNITY -- AT LEAST FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT ALIGNED WITH US.

OR THAT DON'T HAVE ANOTHER CITY THAT'S GOING TO MOVE. I DO LOOK FORWARD TO THE MEETING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD PRESIDENTS.

WE DO NEED AN UNDERSTANDING OF IMPACTS AND WHAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE BEST FOR EACH ENTITIES AND CONSTITUENCY, INCLUDING OURSELVES. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBER KAUR FOR ARRANGING THE MEETINGS. WITH REGARD TO US BEING IN OFFICE FOR ANOTHER SIX MONTHS, I'LL JUST SAY THIS. IF COUNCIL IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE THE WAY THAT IT HAS BEEN FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS, I AM NOT INTERESTED IN THAT. AT ALL. SO FOR ME, THIS DECISION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH US, WHETHER OR NOT MORE DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS SHOW UP, ANY OF THAT. MY CONSTITUENTS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR FEWER ELECTIONS AND MANY OF THE ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS I RESPECT WHO DO THIS WORK ARE SUPPORTIVE, AND I'M WITH IT. ALL THAT BEING SAID, I WILL LIKELY SUPPORT THIS NEXT

WEEK, UNLESS MY CONSTITUENCY CHANGES THEIR MINDS. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN

GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I WANTED TO END WITH TWO QUICK POINTS. THESE ARE MY THOUGHTS CURRENTLY. THE ONE I KEEP GETTING STUCK WITH TOO.

I WAS GETTING THERE AND PIVOTED TO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, AS MY BRAIN DOES SOMETIMES. ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IS IMPORTANT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REPRESENTATION AND TURNOUT, WHEN I THINK ABOUT CITY ELECTIONS COMPARING TO THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS, THERE'S CONSTANTLY WITHIN OUR CITY AND NATIONALLY, WE KNOW FOLKS ARE WEALTHIER, FOLKS WHO HAVE HIGHER EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT, DEGREES, WHO ARE MORE CONNECTED TO THE STUFF COME OUT AT HIGHER RATES, REGARDLESS.

HOWEVER, IT'S IN ODD-YEAR ELECTIONS WE SEE THAT THE MOST.

MAY AND NOVEMBER ALIKE. OVERALL, IT FEELS LIKE A CONFLATION OF WHAT NOVEMBER IS. I'M ONE OF THE FEW YOUNG PEOPLE VOTING IN THAT IN OUR ENTIRE CITY AND STATE . WHEN I ASK MY PEERS TO GO, IT'S NOT THAT IT'S NOVEMBER, IT'S WITH EVERYTHING ELSE. WHILE THERE'S SOME DROPOFF, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

IT'S INTERESTING. WE ALWAYS ASK WHY DO THEY VOTE? WHY DO THEY NOT VOTE? FOR THIS PARTICULAR POINT, WE TALK ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE AND WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE COMING OUT, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR COMING OUT TO VOTE.

PARTICULARLY, IN OUR CITY, IN TERMS OF JUST RHETORIC, IN TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE, IT FRUSTRATES ME WHEN IT'S VERY CLEAR IN TERMS OF THE DATA THAT MOVING THIS ELECTION TO NOVEMBER MAY HAVE A SOMEWHAT INCREASE OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE ALREADY VOTING AND MAYBE SOME FOLKS WHO ARE AROUND THEM, BUT NOT NECESSARILY AT-LARGE.

AGAIN, I'M STILL IN THIS MODE OF I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING BUT THERE'S SOME PARTS IN IT THAT JUST DON'T FEEL TO BE THE MOST TRUTHFUL OR IMPACTFUL.

MOST IMPACTFUL. I'LL LEAVE THAT POINT THERE WITH THAT.

I THINK THAT'S JUST A GOOD DATA POINT. I KNOW DR. KRAFT AND DR. DURAN HAVE BEEN HERE ALL DAY. IF Y'ALL COME UP AND SHARE ANY TYPE OF INSIGHT UP. JULIA HAS DONE A GREAT JOB REPRESENTING THE PERSPECTIVES. BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THAT. AND OF COURSE YOUR DIVERSE ARRAY OF DISTRICTS HERE THAT YOU OVERLAP WITH. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE IMPACTS YOU WOULD SEE WITH THIS? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES OR OPPORTUNITIES IF THEY WERE

TO MOVE OR NOT MOVE? >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THIS DISCOURSE. IT'S NOT EVERY DAY WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN

[02:10:04]

THAT BEING SAID, THE GREATEST IMPACT THAT WE'RE OBVIOUSLY CONCERNED WITH ARE THE POTENTIAL FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS. NOW, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE BOARD -- AND DR. DURAN, BEING THE BOARD PRESIDENT, WE HAVE ENGAGED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS HERE IN THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS. IF WE WERE TO MAINTAIN A MAY ODD ELECTION CYCLE, WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY INCUR ADDITIONAL COST.

TO JULIA'S PREVIOUS POINT, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT -- AND TO MR. WALSH'S POINT, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO PROJECT EXACTLY WHAT THOSE ADDITIONAL COSTS WOULD BE BUT WE WOULD INCUR ADDITIONAL COST. A LOT OF IT WOULD BE CONTINGENT UPON THE LOGISTICS OF POLLING SITES. OF COURSE, HOURS.

THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.

I ALWAYS LOOK AT THINGS THROUGH THE LENS OF, ESPECIALLY STILL OPERATING A BUDGETARY DEFICIT. $100 MILLION DEFICIT BUDGET LAST YEAR, A $32 MILLION DEFICIT THIS YEAR, AS ALLOCATIONS. 90% OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET IS IN PERSONNEL. I PARTICULARLY LOOK AT IT IN THE SENSE OF HOW MANY TEACHING UNITS, HOW MANY TEACHING ALLOCATIONS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? JUST DO SOME QUICK MATH, IF IT'S A $220,000 OR $250,000 ELECTION COST RATHER THAN WHAT WE'RE TYPICALLY ACCUSTOMED TO, WHICH RANGES FROM 90 TO $120,000.

THOSE ARE THREE TO FOUR TEACHING UNITS. THAT'S OUR PRIMARY CONCERN.

ONE OTHER CONCERN -- AND IT'S NOT -- AGAIN, IT'S A LOGISTICAL CONCERN.

IT WAS MENTIONED, I BELIEVE, BY JOHN. WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK THROUGH BOARD POLICY. WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK THROUGH HOLDOVER DOCTRINE.

WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THE RESTAGGERING OF TERMS, WHICH CAN ALL BE DONE. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO WORK ON IS KIND OF THE ONBOARDING, PARTICULARLY OF NEW TRUSTEES.

IF A NEW TRUSTEE IS ELECTED, PARTICULARLY IN NOVEMBER, THINK ABOUT BUDGETING.

THINK ABOUT PERSONNEL. WE'RE VERY CYCLICAL IN HOW WE OPERATE.

HIRING. OUR HIRING SEASON IS MAY. BUDGETING.

WE'RE A FISCAL YEAR END DATE OF AUGUST 31ST. WHAT A MAY ELECTION DOES IS, PARTICULARLY FOR NEW TRUSTEES, THEY'RE ABLE TO BE ONBOARDED.

AND ONE OF THE FIRST ACTIONS, WHICH IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, MAYBE THE MOST IMPORTANT, IS SIGNING OFF ON THE APPROVAL OF THE FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.

ALSO, AS IMPORTANT, SETTING THE TAX RATE, AS ALREADY ARTICULATED.

ABOUT 50% OF OUR RESIDENTS, OUR CONSTITUENTS, THEY PAY IN SCHOOL TAXES.

SO A NEW BOARD OR A NEW TRUSTEE THAT IS ONBOARDED, THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST ACTIONS THEY CAN PUT THEIR THUMBPRINT ON. IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE BUDGETING PROCESS, IF WE DON'T CHANGE INTO A JULY FISCAL YEAR, WHICH I DON'T ANTICIPATE WE WOULD, BECAUSE THERE ARE ALSO IMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT CHANGE.

THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THEIR THUMBPRINT ON THAT BUDGET.

IF YOU KIND OF THINK ABOUT THE ONBOARDING PROCESS FOLLOWING A NOVEMBER ELECTION, THAT BUDGET IS SET AND IN FACT WE'RE TWO MONTHS INTO THE FISCAL YEAR.

IT'S AN ENTIRE NEW BUDGET CYCLE BEFORE THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY GO ABOUT THE REQUEST AND ALLOCATING DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. THAT'S JUST ANOTHER NUANCE, AS YOU'RE IN CONVERSATIONS AND THINKING THROUGH THAT HASN'T BEEN MENTIONED.

>> I DO WANT TO ADD A LOT OF THE FOLKS IN THE ROOM HERE RAISED ME, AND I LEARNED FROM THEM ON HOW TO BLOCK WALK. HOW TO RUN FOR OFFICE AND HOW TO INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT. IDEALLY, IN A PERFECT WORLD, I'M WITH YOU. I WANT MORE FOLKS AT THE POLLS AND VOTING FOR US, RIGHT? BUT, FOR US, AND MY RESPONSIBILITY TO THE SCHOOL BOARD IS FIRST TO MY CONSTITUENTS. STARTING ODDLY IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ACADEMIC YEAR WOULD PROVIDE A LOT OF LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS FOR US.

BUT ALSO, WHEN I'M ASKED FOLKS HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS? THEY SAY WE BARELY VOTE NOW BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHO IS ON THE BALLOT.

THERE WOULD BE A LOT MORE WORK FOR US TO DO, WHICH COULD BE DONE, SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO MOVE TO THE MUNICIPAL RACE. BUT JUST THINK ABOUT THE VOTERS. IF WE CAN'T RIGHT NOW INFLUENCE THEIR VOTE, HOW

[02:15:01]

IF WE ALL WERE TO MOVE THAT, IDEALLY IN A PERFECT WORLD, I'M WITH YOU.

RIGHT NOW, MY RESPONSIBILITY TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS COST.

I WOULD RATHER HAVE AN ADDITIONAL TEACHER THAT IN CHANGING OUR DATES. THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE CLOSING ARGUMENTS THAT WE HAVE. THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US HERE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> GALVAN: NO. THAT'S MY TIME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES:

COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I WAS GOING TO ASK DR. KRAFT THAT QUESTION AS WELL. BUT IT WAS STATED EARLIER I DON'T KNOW WHY ISDS WOULDN'T MOVE TO NOVEMBER. I THINK YOU ANSWERED THAT.

BUT ESSENTIALLY, IT'S THE COST. NOT JUST THE COST, IT'S MORE GOVERNANCE OF THE BOARD AND YOUR BUDGET AND ALL OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT.

I WON'T ASK THE QUESTION AGAIN, BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO

ADD, PLEASE DO. >> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU AGAIN.

AND THANK YOU ALSO FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. I HAD TO OPPORTUNITY TO ATTAIN A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE THIS MORNING, PARTICULARLY WITH PRE-K EDUCATION, WITH OUR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMITTEE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP. AGAIN, THE BIGGEST DRIVER FOR US WOULD BE THE ASSOCIATED COST. PARTICULARLY IN THESE VERY, VERY TIGHT BUDGETARY TIMES.

BUT, AGAIN, THERE WOULD BE A YEAR OF TRANSITION THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK THROUGH QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT LOGISTICS, WHICH CAN BE DONE.

WE'RE ACCUSTOMED TO CHANGE. BUT IT WOULD BE A LIFT. IT WOULD BE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT LIFT. LIKE I SAY, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE GREAT PARTNERS, AS WE ALREADY ARE. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC AND CONVERSATION. YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A POLITICAL SCIENTIST. I HAVE LEARNED A LOT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS, BUT I AM FAMILIAR WITH ELECTIONS. WHETHER IT BE A BOARD ELECTION, WHETHER IT BE A BOND ELECTION. I WILL ARGUE THAT, WHETHER IN MAY OR NOVEMBER, THERE ARE TWO REALLY FACTORS THAT I BELIEVE, AS I'VE SEEN, THAT GET PEOPLE TO THE POLLS. AND VOTER TURNOUT IS INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. BUT IT'S VOTER EDUCATION. INDIVIDUALS HAVE TO BE EDUCATED ON THE TOPICS. THEY'RE GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT, WHETHER IT BE A CANDIDATE OR WHETHER IT BE A FACILITY MATTER. THE OTHER PIECE, THOUGH, THAT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT, IS MOTIVATION. ARE THEY MOTIVATED AND WHAT MOTIVATES THE VOTERS TO GET TO THE POLLS. AS I ALREADY MENTIONED, WE WORK DILIGENTLY TO REGISTER OUR SENIORS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE 18 YEARS OF AGE. THAT NUMBERS INCREASES BY THE SPRING, LEADING INTO A MAY ELECTION VERSUS A NOVEMBER ELECTION. BUT ENSURING THAT OUR VOTERS ARE EDUCATED ABOUT MATTERS AND THEN, LIKE I SAY, WHAT IS THE MOTIVATION THAT WILL GET THEM ACTUALLY TO THE POLLS TO CAST THEIR VOTE. MY TWO CENTS.

>> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU. BEING A SUPERINTENDENT IN TEXAS IS KIND OF LIKE A POLITICAL SCIENTIST. [LAUGHTER] I HAD A QUESTION.

THIS RECENT ELECTION, NOVEMBER 2025 -- AND I WAS ABLE TO GET THIS FROM OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR. COST US $4 MILLION. SO THAT WOULD BE THE CYCLE THAT WE WOULD BE MOVING INTO. LET'S SAY WE MOVED -- WE MOVE THERE THIS MONTH. AND SO THOSE ISDS AND THOSE SMALLER MUNICIPALITIES TOOK $1.17 MILLION OF THAT TOTAL $4 MILLION COST. AND THE COUNTY PAID THE REST. SO $2.7 MILLION, BECAUSE OF THOSE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS. SO I WOULD ARGUE THAT POTENTIALLY IS GOING TO SAVE BEXAR COUNTY DOLLARS IF WE MOVE THERE, WITHOUT ANYONE ELSE, BECAUSE IT HELPS THEM SHARE THAT COST. VERSUS THE COST SAVINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT, THE 800 TO A MILLION. BUT IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT THE COUNTY TAKING ON THIS $2.7 MILLION AMOUNT, WE WOULD JUMP IN TO HELP THE COUNTY WITH THAT.

NOT NECESSARILY COST SAVINGS ON OUR SIDE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT. AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THIS WAS A MANDATE BY OUR STATE LEGISLATURE AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD PUT ANY UNINTENTIONAL MANDATES ON

THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MAYOR JONES:

COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: YEAH, THANK YOU.

I'M LOOKING TO HAVE THIS ON THE AGENDA ON THE 18TH AND FURTHER THIS CONVERSATION.

ERIK, WHAT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE IS ON THERE IS WE HAVE MOVED OUR ELECTION TO EVERY FOUR YEARS. SO OUR NEXT ELECTION IS 2029.

SO WHILE I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING ABOUT DISTRICTS AND THEIR ODD YEARS, WE ARE NOT RUNNING EVERY TWO YEARS ON THE ODD YEARS.

SO THERE IS ALREADY GOING TO BE A COST INCREASE TO THEM. SO PLEASE INCLUDE THAT IN

[02:20:04]

BECAUSE IF THIS DOESN'T MOVE FORWARD ON THE 18TH, I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO SEE COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE THAT CONVERSATION THAT WE TAKE THIS TO A CHARTER REVIEW AND WE MOVE IT TO NOVEMBER BECAUSE WE THINK NOVEMBER IS A BETTER IDEA.

BECAUSE THERE ARE BIG RACES THAT HAPPEN ON ODD YEARS IN NOVEMBER THAT MAKE THE NATIONAL NEWS CYCLE THAT WILL REMIND PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO, HEY, I'VE GOT TO GO VOTE. SO I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS HERE.

I UNDERSTAND THE WANTING THE MORE TIME. I UNDERSTAND WANTING TO GET MORE ENGAGEMENT. I UNDERSTAND DO WE TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS, DO WE NOT TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS. WHAT WE HAVE HERE, PRESENTED IN FRONT OF US, IS AN OPPORTUNITY. AND IF YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE -- AND I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME, AND I AM A POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR -- IS I KNOW MY COMMUNITY. AND I KNOW THE PUBLIC.

AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE PUTTING OUT A SURVEY AND IT'S YES, NO, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. IF WE DECIDE ON THE 18TH WE WANT TO TAKE THIS FURTHER, THEN WE'LL TAKE IT FURTHER. BUT WE NEED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. THIS MAKES SENSE. I DON'T CARE IF IT'S $50,000 WE SAVE. BECAUSE THAT'S $50,000 I CAN USE TO FILL POTHOLES.

OR PROGRAM SOMETHING FOR METRO HEALTH. IT MAY NOT BE THE COST SAVINGS THAT WERE SPIT OUT THERE BUT IT'S GOING TO BE SOME COST SAVINGS, BECAUSE WE ARE SPLITTING THE ELECTION WITH OTHERS. AND MY PLAN IS TO BRING MY DISTRICTS: HARLANDALE, SOUTHSIDE, EAST CENTRAL, SAISD, TRY TO BRING THEM ALONG AND TALK TO MY STATE REPRESENTATIVES BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE STATE HAS THE MONEY TO HELP ME MOVE THESE ELECTIONS TO ODD-NUMBER YEARS.

BUT THOSE ARE LARGER CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING. AND RIGHT NOW THE CONVERSATION IS LET'S -- WE'VE COMMUNICATED OUR EFFORTS, NOW LET'S GET SOME INPUT VIA E-MAIL FROM OUR VOTERS, AND THEN ON THE 18TH WE DECIDE AND THEN WE MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE . I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION AND THE EFFORTS, BUT I THINK WE MADE THIS A LOT LONGER THAN WE NEEDED TO.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: TO MAKE IT LONGER BY A COUPLE MORE COMMENTS. I WAS GOING TO MAKE THAT POINT, I'M SORRY, DR. CRAFT, YOU SAID YOUR NEXT ELECTION WAS GOING

TO BE WHEN? >> YES, SIR. WE'RE ODD, MAY, SO

MAY 27TH AND THEN AGAIN MAY 29TH. >> MUNGIA: STAGGERED.

>> YES, SIR, FOR BOARD ELECTIONS. >> MUNGIA: A COUPLE OF POINTS, THE CITY WILL NOT BE ON THAT BALLOT, EVEN IF WE DECIDE NOT TO MOVE

THE ELECTION. >> THAT'S CORRECT. SO THIS MAY WE WILL NOT HAVE AN ELECTION. NEXT MAY, MAY OF '27, WE'LL BE OF MUNICIPALITIES POSTING IN MAY, UNLESS WE MAKE THE TRANSITION.

>> MUNGIA: SO THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT ALREADY

FOR YOU. >> [INDISCERNIBLE] >> MUNGIA: RIGHT.

>> THAT'S PROBABLY THE QUESTION. >> MUNGIA: YES,

REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE DO NEXT WEEK. >> ABSOLUTELY.

>> MUNGIA: GOT YOU. AND THAT'S WHY OUR ELECTION COST, THEY VARY. WE CAN LOOK AT '23, WE CAN LOOK AT '25.

WE CAN SEE THAT IT VARIES, AGAIN, DEPENDING ON REGISTERED VOTERS AND AS ALREADY ARTICULATED, THE COUNTY ELECTION'S OFFICE REALLY DRIVES AND

DICTATES OUR COST SHARE PORTION. >> MUNGIA: AND YOU MADE A GOOD POINT ABOUT ELECTION BUDGET PROCESS. DO ALL THE SCHOOL

DISTRICTS HAVE THE SAME FISCAL TIMELINE? >> MOST ARE ON AUGUST 31ST. DISTRICTS DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE THE FISCAL YEAR BACK TO A JULY. THE CHALLENGE IN DOING SO IS ONCE YOU -- IF YOU KIND OF THINK ABOUT THE INCURRENCE OF OPERATIONAL COST, FOR THE FIRST YEAR THAT YOU MAKE THAT TRANSITION, YOU'RE SAVING ELECTRICITY, ET CETERA, BUT ONCE YOU MOVE FROM AUGUST, YOU BACK IT UP TO JULY, YOU'RE REALLY STUCK BECAUSE IF YOU GO BACK TO THE OPPOSITE, OR YOU GO TO THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM, YOU'RE NOW INCURRING THOSE COSTS

TIMES TWO IN ESSENCE. >> MUNGIA: ABSOLUTELY. MY POINT BEING THAT SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE THE SAME FISCAL YEAR AS YOU ALL.

>> MOST ARE ON AUGUST 31ST. I CAN'T SPEAK TO ALL DISTRICTS IN BEXAR COUNTY, BUT THE JULY ONE IS THE OTHER

OPTION. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, DR. CRAFT.

I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN THE OTHER THING, TOO, IS IF WE'RE INTERESTED IN HELPING THE OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES SAVE MONEY FOR ELECTION, WE CAN STILL KEEP OUR BOND ELECTIONS IN MAY; IS THAT CORRECT, ERIK?

[02:25:07]

>> WALSH: COUNCILMAN, I'M SORRY, WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE

SCHEDULE. GO AHEAD, I'M SORRY. >> MUNGIA: YEAH.

SO MY POINT WAS IF WE WERE INTERESTED IN PUTTING ELECTIONS ON TO HELP OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES SAVE MONEY, WE COULD KEEP MUNICIPAL BOND

ELECTIONS IN MAY ODD YEARS. >> WALSH: RIGHT.

BUT THOSE HAPPEN PRETTY INFREQUENTLY. AS OF RIGHT NOW, FIVE

YEARS. >> MUNGIA: RIGHT. I'M JUST SAYING IF WE HAVE PROPOSITIONS THAT THE CITY DO, WE CAN PUT THOSE IN MAY, EVEN IF WE

CHANGE TO NOVEMBER. >> WALSH: YES. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU.

THAT'S ALL. COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ? I WANT TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF POINTS. THE CHARTER REVIEW THAT WAS DONE IN DALLAS, THE REASON THEY HAD TO DO THAT, THEY HAD TO BRING IT TO THE VOTERS TO UPDATE THEIR CHARTER, BECAUSE THEIR CHARTER REQUIRED THEIR ELECTION TO BE IN MAY. SO THAT'S WHY THEY HAD TO DO THAT, JUST TO LAY THAT FLAT. I REALLY ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE -- WE CAUTION AGAINST THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE LEDGE CAN JUST BRING THIS UP AGAIN. THAT IS A CRITICAL ASSUMPTION, AND AS IS JUST MENTIONED, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT GET AGAIN, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A SAVINGS, WE MIGHT NOT KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT. AND IT'S HAS BEEN LAID OUT, THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE IN TURNOUT AS THE DATA ALSO CLEARLY LAYS OUT. MOVING FIESTA, WHICH SEEMS NOVEL, MOVING FIESTA DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN PEOPLE WOULD NOW ASSOCIATE MAY WITH VOTING, RIGHT? SO I CAN UNDERSTAND THE LOGISTICAL -- I MEAN, THAT SEEMS LIKE AN EVEN LARGER LO GIST TAL LIFT THAN DOING THIS, JUST BECAUSE YOU MOVE FIESTA DOESN'T MEAN THAT PEOPLE DON'T MORE ASSOCIATE VOTING WITH THAT MONTH. ON THE -- ON THE COST SAVINGS, LET ME REITERATE, WHILE WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT, AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE -- AGAIN, I PUT THE CITY MANAGER ON THE SPOT AND HE GAVE ME AN ANSWER OF 800K TO A MILLION, AND WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE SAVINGS WOULD BE, WE KNOW THERE WOULD BE A SAVINGS.

WE KNOW THAT FOR CERTAIN. AND AS WE FACE FISCAL CHALLENGES, WE OWE IT TO OURSELVES TO NOT ONLY, AGAIN, BENEFIT FROM THAT SAVINGS AS COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN MENTIONED -- BECAUSE EVEN IF WE ONLY GOT HALF OF WHAT DALLAS GOT, DALLAS ESTIMATED A SAVINGS OF 432,000, EVEN IF WE ONLY GOT HALF OF THAT, THAT'S 215K-ISH, RIGHT? I MEAN, IF WE GOT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW COUNCILMAN WHYTE, THIS IS HOW WE PAY FOR MORE COPS, RIGHT? I MEAN, THERE'S MUCH BETTER WAYS TO USE THESE RESOURCES AND HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HEARING FROM

MORE FOLKS. >> WHYTE: WILL YOU SUPPORT MORE COPS.

>> MAYOR JONES: WELL, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THE MONEY.

THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE UNDERSTANDING THERE ARE BENEFITS TO BE HAD. WHEN IT COMES TO THE -- LET ME -- ON THIS IDEA OF, WELL, WE'VE GOT TO MOVE IT TO THE EVEN YEARS, AND WE KNOW THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THE IDEAL -- FOR SOME, WHILE THERE IS -- AGAIN, YES, UNDENIABLE HIGHEST TURNOUT IS IN NOVEMBER WHEN PEOPLE ARE ASSOCIATING IT AND IN ON YEARS, THE LEGISLATION DOESN'T ALLOW FOR THAT.

SO WE HAVE TO, I THINK, AGAIN, DEAL WITH THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE, IMPERFECT AS IT MAY BE, BUT I THINK THIS DOES, FOR OTHERS, PRESERVE WHAT WE ALSO FIND TO BE IMPORTANT IN THESE RACES, IS THAT THEY ARE NONPARTISAN, RIGHT? AND THIS LEGISLATION, WITH THAT -- NOT ONLY THE TIME FRAME, BUT ALSO, AGAIN, MAKING THIS ONLY APPLY TO MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE AN ODD-YEAR ELECTION, ENSURES THAT. THERE IS NOTHING TO SAY THAT WE CANNOT STILL MOVE THESE TO NOVEMBER AND THEN, TO YOUR POINT, WORK WITH THE STATE LEGAL DELEGATION TO WORK TOWARD THAT.

THAT, TO ME, SEEMS HIGHLY IMPLAUSIBLE, HOWEVER, GIVEN THE STATE LEGISLATION AND FRANKLY SOME OF OUR STATE LEADERS ARE LOOKING AT REDISTRICTING RIGHT NOW IN A WAY THAT DILUTES THE VOICE OF THE EXACT VOTERS THAT THIS CHANGE WOULD HELP, OKAY. TO THE ISDS, I'M A PROUD PRODUCT OF NORTHSIDE, PROUD PRODUCT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT A DECISION TO BE MADE LIGHTLY. ONE IN 10 KIDS IN THE COUNTRY CALLS OUR STATE HOME, UNDERSTOOD. FOURTH LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE, UNDERSTOOD. I COME BACK TO THE FACT, THOUGH, THAT IF WE ARE ALL CONCERNED AND COMMITTED TO WHAT I THINK IS OUR MUTUAL BUSINESS OF RAISING AN EDUCATED CITIZENRY THAT PARTICIPATES, THEN WE REDUCE BARRIERS TO DOING THAT.

[02:30:02]

I UNDERSTAND THE LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT THE -- THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT RAISED, WHICH HAVE OBVIOUSLY BEEN ADDRESSED BY THOSE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ALREADY HAVE THEIR ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER.

SO NOT AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK. I UNDERSTAND A LIFT, BUT IF WE ARE AS COMMITTED TO AN EDUCATED VOTING CITIZENRY, THEN WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THAT. BECAUSE AS YOU POINT OUT, THOSE -- THOSE -- IF YOU STAYED IN MAY, RIGHT, THOSE COSTS WOULD INCREASE, BUT THAT IS OPTIONAL. THAT'S A CHOICE THAT YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD BE MAKING -- MORE MUNICIPAL VOTERS, RIGHT, WHAT IS IN THE GREATEST PUBLIC GOOD, WE BALANCE THAT WITH, AGAIN, THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU ALSO HAVE.

AND FRANKLY, THE MORE TIME YOU HAVE TO MAKE THIS.

WE HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO MAKE THE DECISION TO SAVE MONEY AND HEAR FROM MORE VOTERS, AND YOU HAVE MUCH MORE TIME TO ADDRESS THAT. GREAT. THANK YOU, AGAIN, TO EVERYBODY THAT TOOK TO TIME TO SHARE YOUR EXPERTISE AND HELP US HAVE A REALLY ROBUST CONVERSATION HERE. AS WE ARE -- FRANKLY, THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE, I THINK WE ARE ALSO COGNIZANT OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN GENERAL ON THE VOTING LANDSCAPE AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE, AT LEAST HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN DO POSSIBLE TO REDUCE THE BARRIERS TO VOTING FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS. OKAY. THANK YOU, AGAIN, TO

[EXECUTIVE SESSION At any time during the meeting, the City Council may recess into executive session in the Presidio Conference Room to consult with the City Attorney's Office (Texas Government Code Section 551.071) and deliberate or discuss any of the following:  ]

ON DECEMBER 10TH, 2025, THE CITY OF COUNCIL WILL MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO 551, E 551.071, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT 5:26 P.M. ON DECEMBER 10TH, 2025. THE TIME IS NOW 5:26 P.M.

ON DECEMBER 10TH, 2025. AND THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECONVENE IN OFFICIAL SESSION. NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE TIME IS NOW 5:26 AND THE MEETING IS

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.