Misty Spears, Angi Taylor Aramburu advance to the runoff after a closely contested race

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UPDATE AT 11:05 P.M.:

In a closely contested race for San Antonio City Council District 9, Misty Spears and Angi Taylor Aramburu will advance to the runoff election on June 7.

With 100% of precincts reporting, Spears ended the night with 38% of the vote, while Angi Taylor Aramburu followed closely behind with 36%, according to numbers from the Bexar County Elections Department. Since neither secured 50% of the vote, they are heading to the runoff election.

Taylor Aramburu told KSAT if she wins in the runoff election, she plans to make the district safer.

“We need a new police substation on the North Side, particularly up the 281 corridor, because our infrastructure in terms of public safety just hasn’t kept up with growth,” Taylor Aramburu said.

KSAT attempted to contact Spears for comment several times this week but has yet to hear back.

Bexar County had a 7.81% voter turnout in the May 3 election, according to the Bexar County Elections Department. Out of 1,257,459 registered voters in Bexar County, 20,201 voted on Election Day and 74,238 cast a ballot during early voting. Another 3,751 were absentee ballots.

Compared to the last city election in 2023, Bexar County saw a 15.34% voter turnout.

The winner of the June 7 runoff will succeed longtime Councilman John Courage, who reached his term limits and ran for San Antonio mayor.

UPDATE AT 8 P.M.:

After early voting results were released Saturday evening, the race for San Antonio City Council District 9 is tight, with Angi Taylor Aramburu leading with 38% of the vote and Misty Spears in second with 37%.

The remaining five candidates — Emily Joy Garza, Daniel Mezza, Celeste Tidwell, April Chang and Tristen Hoffman — each have less than 10% of the early vote so far.

Councilman John Courage, who is wrapping up his fourth term in that position, is leaving office due to term limits. He is also running for San Antonio mayor in an especially crowded race.

Election Day votes are yet to be counted and will determine the race’s outcome in the coming hours. KSAT will update this article as more votes are counted.

If no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote, the top two candidates will advance to a runoff scheduled for June 7.

District 9 covers the North-Central area of the city, including communities north of Wurzbach Parkway, stretching to Stone Oak outside Loop 1604.

BACKGROUND

The District 9 City Council election includes seven candidates vying to replace Courage. Here’s a look at the candidates:

Angi Taylor Aramburu

According to her campaign website, Angi Taylor Aramburu is a small business owner with a background in public relations and nonprofit arts marketing.

Among her campaign promises are improving public safety, managing growth, and protecting green spaces.

Aramburu has endorsements from outgoing councilman Courage, former Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, and former North East ISD school board president Shannon Grona.

April Chang

April Chang lists her occupation as a nonprofit executive director.

She founded an organization named for her 3-year-old son, Mitchell Chang, who drowned at a swim school in 2018.

She also worked to have a playground built in his name, which is accessible to children of all physical abilities.

On her campaign website, Chang promises to prioritize budgeting, public safety and infrastructure.

Emily Joy Garza

A former Fortune 500 executive, Emily Joy Garza now owns a business that specializes in permanent cosmetics.

A cancer survivor herself, Garza says she offers restorative micropigmentation for people who have endured life-changing challenges, such as chemotherapy.

Garza promises to strengthen support for law enforcement, improve emergency preparedness and better empower small businesses.

Tristen Hoffman

The youngest candidate in the race, Tristen Hoffman, is an 18-year-old senior at Johnson High School.

In an emailed statement, Hoffman said his focus will be on “fostering a safe and healthy community environment, reforming the structure of government to amplify the people’s voices, and bringing fiscal responsibility to the city’s budget.”

Daniel Mezza

Daniel Mezza has a background working in politics, but now owns a coffee company.

He served as a member of the staff for two members of Congress before founding Puro Nitro Coffee.

Mezza’s website says he plans to restore “common sense” to City Hall by prioritizing public safety.

It says that includes putting more police on the streets and offering better benefits for firefighters.

Misty Spears

Misty Spears also has experience in politics, working as the director of constituent services for County Commissioner Grant Moody.

She promises a “back to basics” approach to carrying out her City Council duties, by focusing on public safety, job growth, and responsible development.

Spears is endorsed by both the police and firefighters’ unions.

Celeste Tidwell

While Celeste Tidwell’s application for the race listed her occupation as a housewife, she is no stranger to politics.

Tidwell ran unsuccessfully for the District 10 council seat in 2015 and 2017 and is the former Democratic precinct chair.

If no one candidate in this race obtains at least 50% of the vote, the top two vote-holders will enter into a runoff election on June 7.

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