2015 San Antonio mayoral election

On May 9, 2015, the city of San Antonio, Texas, held an election to choose the next Mayor of San Antonio. Interim mayor Ivy Taylor ran for election to a full term and narrowly defeated former state senator Leticia Van de Putte in the runoff election on June 13, 2015, to become the first African American elected to the position.

2015 San Antonio mayoral election
May 9, 2015 (first round)
June 13, 2015 (runoff)
Turnout14.12%
 
Candidate Ivy Taylor Leticia Van de Putte
Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan
First round vote 24,245 25,982
First round percentage 28.40% 30.43%
Runoff vote 50,662 47,331
Runoff percentage 51.70% 48.30%
Mayor before election

Ivy Taylor

 Elected Mayor

Ivy Taylor

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Background

Julian Castro, who was first elected mayor in the 2009 mayoral election, was selected in 2014 to become the next United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Upon that announcement, State Representative Mike Villarreal immediately announced he would run to succeed Castro in the 2015 election.[1] Once Castro was confirmed by the U.S. Senate, the San Antonio City Council selected Ivy Taylor as interim mayor by a third-round unanimous vote becoming the city's first African-American mayor.[2]

In November 2014, after losing the race to become Lieutenant Governor of Texas, outgoing State Senator Leticia Van de Putte announced she would run for mayor despite earlier reports saying she would not seek the position.[3] Additionally, in spite of earlier promises that Taylor would not run for a full term in the May election, she ultimately entered the race in February 2015.[4]

Candidates

After the deadline to file passed, four candidates (Adkisson, Taylor, Van de Putte and Villarreal) were considered the frontrunners in the race, though none of them were able to poll above fifty percent and avoid a runoff.

Declared

Endorsements

italicized individuals and organizations are post-regular election endorsements

Taylor
  • Tommy Adkisson, former Bexar County Commissioner and mayoral candidate[8]
  • Mike Gallagher, current City Councilman, District 10[9]
Van de Putte
Villarreal
  • Joaquin Castro, United States Congressman, Texas District 20 (endorsed Van de Putte in runoff)[12]
  • Phillip Cortez, state representative[12]
  • Delicia Herrera, former City Councilwoman, District 6[12]
  • James Howard, Board of Trustees member for San Antonio Independent School District[12]
  • John Folks, former Superintendent of Northside Independent School District (endorsed Van de Putte in runoff)[12]
  • Richard Middleton, former Superintendent of Northeast Independent School District[12]
  • Marisa B. Perez, member of Texas State Board of Education[12]
  • Carlos Uresti, Texas State Senator (endorsed Van de Putte in runoff)[12]

Polling
Poll Source Date(s)
administered		 Tommy
Adkisson		 Ivy
Taylor		 Leticia
Van de Putte		 Mike
Villarreal		 Other/
Undecided
Anderson Williams Research April 29, 2015 17% 24% 29% 18% 11%

Results

First round

On May 9, 2015, the election for mayor was held. None of the leading candidates received more than 50% of the vote and as a result, a runoff election was scheduled for Saturday, June 13, 2015 between the top two vote getters.[13]

San Antonio Mayor, 2015
Regular election, May 9, 2015
Candidate Votes % ±
✓ Leticia Van de Putte 25,982 30.43%
✓ Ivy Taylor 24,245 28.40%
Mike Villarreal 22,246 26.06%
Tommy Adkisson 8,344 9.77%
Paul Martinez 1,877 2.20%
Cynthia Brehm 1,497 1.75%
Douglas Emmett 221 0.26%
Michael "Commander" Idrogo 221 0.26%
Cynthia Cavazos 201 0.24%
Raymond Zavala 196 0.23%
Rhett Smith 111 0.13%
Julie Iris Oldham (Mama Bexar) 103 0.12%
Gerard Ponce 97 0.11%
Pogo Mochello Reese 29 0.03%
Turnout 85,370 11.89%*

* Vote percentage include all of Bexar County with a total of 12,316 either voting in another municipal election or casting no ballot for San Antonio mayor.

Runoff

More people voted in the runoff election for mayor than did in the regular election on May 9, 2015. Taylor found most of her support from conservatives within the city who typically reside on the north side and from her former city council district on the east side. Meanwhile, Van de Putte performed best on the west and south sides of town.[14]

San Antonio Mayor, 2015
Runoff election June 13, 2015[15]
Candidate Votes % ±
✓ Ivy Taylor 50,662 51.70%
Leticia Van de Putte 47,331 48.30%
Turnout 97,993 14.12%

References
  1. "Villarreal Resigning to Run for San Antonio Mayor". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 19, 2014.
  2. Baugh, Josh (July 22, 2014). "Ivy Taylor becomes mayor". San Antonio Express-News. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  3. Nicole Perez. "EXCLUSIVE: Van de Putte announces mayoral bid". KSAT. Archived from the original on February 5, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  4. Baugh, Josh (February 16, 2015). "Ivy Taylor to run for mayor of San Antonio, joining a crowded field". San Antonio Express-News. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  5. Beltran, Jacob (December 29, 2014). "Adkisson joins 2015 mayoral race". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  6. "Candidate Listing". City of San Antonio. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  7. Garcia, Gilbert (November 8, 2014). "The mayor of Kalsu brings it home to S.A." San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  8. "Mayor draws runoff backing from Adkisson". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  9. "District 10 Councilmember Mike Gallagher Endorses Ivy Taylor". Rivard Report. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  10. "Leticia Van de Putte". Facebook. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  11. "Van de Putte is best choice for mayor". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  12. "Testimonials". Mike Villarreal for Mayor. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  13. "Municipal elections in San Antonio, Texas (2015)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  14. "Taylor Becomes San Antonio's First Elected Black Mayor". Rivard Report. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  15. "BEXAR COUNTY. TEXAS Unofficial Results RUNOFF ELECTION JUNE 13 . 2015" (PDF). City of San Antonio. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
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