San Antonio voter guide: Spurs arena, rodeo expansion
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Election Day is Nov. 4, and early voting kicks off Oct. 20. Here's what you need to know about how to vote and key races around San Antonio.
Why it matters: Bexar County voters will have their say in a pivotal election on whether to give the Spurs public money for a new downtown arena.
Get ready to vote
Before you vote: The Bexar County Elections Department website allows you to check your voter registration status.
- It will then provide you with an individualized sample ballot showing races you can vote on.
How to vote: Find early voting locations, open Oct. 20-Oct. 31, here.
- Find Election Day polling locations, open 7am–7pm Nov. 4, here.
Plus: Oct. 24 is the last day to apply for a ballot by mail.
Proposition A — San Antonio Rodeo expansion
The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo is seeking a $197 million renovation from the same pot of funding the Spurs want to use for a new downtown arena.
How it works: Bexar County's venue tax is a fund generated by a 1.75% tax on hotel rooms and a 5% tax on car rentals. Propositions A and B seek to raise the hotel portion of the tax to 2%.
- The venue tax can only be used on facility projects like arenas and stadiums and "related infrastructure," which can include things like stores, restaurants and hotels nearby.
Zoom in: If voters approve the venue tax increase as Proposition A, rodeo CEO Cody Davenport tells Axios that $197 million for the rodeo would go, in part, toward converting one of the expo buildings into an arena that can draw events year-round.
Go deeper: A guide to Prop. A, San Antonio Rodeo expansion
Proposition B — New Spurs arena
If approved by voters, $311 million from the same Bexar County venue tax increase would go toward a downtown Spurs arena.
By the numbers: A nonbinding deal the City Council approved lays out the plan:
- $500 million from the Spurs
- $489 million from a city bond that does not require voter approval
- $311 million from a Bexar County venue tax increase
The city's portion will be backed in part by revenue from the Spurs' arena lease and property taxes on new development built around the arena.
- The county's portion comes from a tax on hotel rooms and rental cars.
Go deeper: Common questions about the vote to fund a new Spurs arena
North East ISD bond
North East Independent School District is asking voters to approve a $495 million bond — its first in a decade.
Why it matters: San Antonio's second-largest district faces aging buildings and tech needs after years without new funding.
By the numbers: The largest chunk, Prop A ($400M), would cover HVAC; safety and cybersecurity upgrades; new buses; and campus renovations.
- Other propositions would fund technology ($53.5M); athletics ($29.2M); stadiums ($9.7M); and pools ($2.3M).
Flashback: Superintendent Sean Maika began reviewing facilities after a $2 million chiller replacement in 2021 revealed widespread infrastructure issues.
Yes, but: Trustee Marsha Landry opposed putting the bond on the ballot, citing declining enrollment and roughly $1 billion in existing debt.
The bottom line: NEISD says the bond would not raise property taxes.
East Central ISD tax rate
East Central Independent School District is asking voters to approve a 5-cent property tax increase after passing a $309 million bond in May.
Why it matters: The district faces a $4.6 million budget deficit even as enrollment rises to nearly 13,000 students, bucking regional trends.
By the numbers: If voters approve the 5-cent increase, which is on top of a district-authorized 5-cent increase for bond projects, it would raise ECISD's tax rate from 88 cents to about 98 cents per $100 of taxable value, generating $7.6 million for operations.
Zoom in: The money would fund teacher raises, safety upgrades and employee benefits.
Yes, but: If voters reject it, officials warn of cuts to librarians, nurses and athletic programs.
What they're saying: District leaders say that even with the hike, East Central would still have one of the lowest tax rates in Bexar County.
Judson ISD tax rate
Judson Independent School District is asking voters to approve a 4.5-cent property tax increase to help close a $37 million budget deficit.
Why it matters: The district on San Antonio's far Northeast Side says the extra funding would help retain teachers and maintain programs like special education, dyslexia services and gifted and talented education.
By the numbers: The increase would raise Judson's tax rate from $1.0346 to $1.0796 per $100 of taxable value, generating about $21 million annually.
What they're saying: If voters reject the proposal, district officials warn of "fewer supports" for students, teachers and staff next school year.
State constitutional amendments
Texas voters will have a whopping 17 statewide propositions to consider on the November ballot.
Why it matters: The proposed constitutional amendments cover a range of issues, from cutting property taxes to creating statewide research funds to enshrining parental rights.
Read our guide: Constitutional amendments on Texas ballots this fall