Voter Guide 2025 | What to know ahead of pivotal Spurs arena vote and what else is on Bexar County ballot

SAN ANTONIO — No major San Antonio offices are up for grabs this fall, nor is it time for a presidential election. But plenty is at stake nonetheless for Bexar County when voters head to the polls—namely when it comes to shaping the future of entertainment in downtown San Antonio as well as the east side. 

A year after city leaders began talking publicly about a possible new Spurs arena in the heart of the city, residents are now being asked to weigh in. 

Proposition B, if passed, would give the county the green light to allocate up to $311 million in tourism dollars for the new arena expected to cost $1.3 billion. It’s the first and thus far only scheduled public vote on plans for the downtown sports and entertainment district the city of San Antonio has referred to as “Project Marvel.” The accompanying Proposition A would allocate millions to funding a reimagined San Antonio Rodeo grounds. 

The proposals have their supporters and detractors, and the public debate has often been tense. It culminated in a City Council vote in August where – after hours of public comment that included business leaders, residents, community advocates, Spurs executives and Sean Elliott – council members went against Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and voted to approve a term sheet with the team. The non-binding agreement stipulates the city would chip in up to $498 million for the arena while the team contributes half a billion dollars while covering cost overruns. 

All of that, however, is effectively contingent on voters approving Proposition B in the election, early voting for which began Monday, Oct. 20. 

Here’s what you need to know. Make sure to check kens5.com/elections when the polls close on Nov. 4 for results and coverage. 

In Texas, the deadline to register to vote is 30 days prior to the election in which you wish to cast a ballot. For November’s Joint Constitutional Amendment, General, Special and Bond Election, that means the deadline was Oct. 6.  

Bexar County elections officials said more than 1.28 million residents were registered to vote. That’s just below the 1.295 million voters who registered for the November 2024 presidential contest. If you don’t know whether you’re registered to vote, you can check here. Otherwise, it’s too late to register to vote in Texas. 

In order to be eligible to vote, you must:

🗳Live in Bexar County

🗳Be a U.S. citizen

🗳Be at least 17 years and 10 months old 

🗳Not be a convicted felon (with exceptions for felons who have completed their punishment)

🗳Not have been declared by a court to be mentally incapacitated 

And remember: Because the Spurs and San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo are represented through Props A & B on the ballot, voters will be turned away at the polls if they wear merchandise representing either entity. Doing so would be considered electioneering, which is against Texas law. 

Here are the dates you’ll need to know in order to navigate the election process in Bexar County

🗳Monday, Oct. 6: Last day to register to vote

🗳Monday, Oct. 20: Early voting opens in Bexar County,

 🗳Friday, Oct. 24: Last day to apply to vote by mail (applications must be received by this date)

🗳Friday, Oct. 31: Last day of early voting

🗳Tuesday, Nov. 4: Election Day in Bexar County

You sure can.

Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 20, and runs through Halloween for Bexar County residents. You can find a list of early voting locations here. 

Early voting hours for each day are as follows:

🗳Monday, Oct. 20 through Friday, Oct. 24: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

🗳Saturday, Oct. 25: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

🗳Sunday, Oct. 26: Noon to 6 p.m. 

🗳Monday, Oct. 27 to Friday, Oct. 31: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

While early voting polls are open depending on the day you go, in-person voting on Nov. 4 will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Those in line when the polls close will be able to cast their ballot. 

Click here to find your polling center. Remember: While you have an assigned polling center based on your address, you can head to any of the county’s hundreds of voting sites to cast your ballot on Election Day. 

A list of Nov. 4 polling sites can be found here.

Make sure to have at least one of the following types of ID when you head to the polls. 

• Texas driver’s license
• Texas election ID certificate
• Personal Texas ID card
• Texas handgun license
• U.S. citizenship certificate with photo
• U.S. military ID
• U.S. passport (book or card)

Texans are allowed to vote by mail but must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• If you’re 65 years of age or older on election day. 
• If you’re sick or disabled (here that means having a sickness or physical condition preventing you from appearing at the polls on election day without a likelihood of needing personal assistance or of injuring your health). 
• If you’re going to be out of the county on election day or during the early-voting period. 
• If you’re expected to give birth within three weeks before or after election day. 
• If you’re confined in jail, but are eligible to vote. 

Those eligible must fill out this absentee-ballot application and submit it to the Bexar County Elections Office to be able to submit a mail-in ballot for the election. It must be completed and received at the elections office at least 11 days before the election. 

You don’t want to get to a polling location and not be ready. There are certain types of ID you need to show before you cast your ballot.

Here’s a list that shows you all of the acceptable ID forms.

It depends on where in Bexar County you live. 

All voters will have a chance to weigh in on the headlining Proposition A and Proposition B as well as 17 statewide propositions that impact property tax cuts, water infrastructure funding, tax exemptions for military veterans’ spouses, funding for dementia research and more. 

Read more about what those proposed constitutional amendments entail here. 

Converse residents, meanwhile, will be electing their mayor; North East ISD is asking voters to approve $495 million in upgrades and renovations across five ballot questions; and Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD has school board spots up for grabs. 

Those sample ballots can be found here. 

Here’s a sample of the biggest local races that will be determined in the election, with voters’ options presented in the order they’ll appear on the ballot. 

Rodeo leaders are hoping Bexar County voters give this ballot measure the green light, as it would fund a makeover to the popular annual event’s grounds while potentially laying the groundwork for year-round attractions—an objective that would be more attainable should the Spurs depart the grounds for downtown. 

At a Sept. 16 town hall, San Antonio Rodeo CEO Cody Davenport said upgraded facilities could help attract year-round activity, such as an annual county fair, Future Farmers of American conventions or even professional bull-riding. 

Among the ideas to build on the current rodeo property: Three new and modified “flex” buildings to include courts for pickleball and volleyball; modifications to Expo Hall 1; and a new welcome gate emphasizing the property’s rodeo identity. 

🗳For 
🗳Against

A new home for San Antonio’s only major professional sports franchise is expected to cost $1.3 billion, with Bexar County’s agreed-upon allotment of $311 representing the smallest slice of the funding pie. Per the details of a term sheet between the Spurs and the City of San Antonio approved by City Council in August, the city would be on the hook for up to $498 million while the team would be responsible for $500 million and cost overruns. 

But the stipulations of that term sheet are contingent on voters passing Proposition B in November; as this point, it’s the only scheduled public referendum on the headlining component of San Antonio’s efforts to develop a downtown sports and entertainment district. 

🗳For
🗳Against 

🗳John Shadron
🗳Al Suarez
🗳Marc Gilbert
🗳Emilio Silvas

🗳Ralph Rodriguez
🗳Ralph Gutierrez

District voters will weigh in on a $495 million bond across five different ballot measures. About 81%, or roughly $400 million, would go to repairs and upgrades through Prop A—replacing chillers, fixing roofs and plumbing, and modernizing HVAC systems. 

Proposition B asks voters to approve about $53 million for technology: replacing classroom devices for students and teachers, updating computer systems for the district’s police department and modernizing equipment for campus offices.

Proposition C focuses on athletics, including renovations to Littleton Gymnasium, Blossom Athletic Center and the Judson Road Complex.

Proposition D covers stadiums—more than $9 million for improvements at Comalander Stadium, Heroes Stadium and restroom upgrades at North East Sports Park.

Finally, Proposition E funds roughly $2 million in upgrades across NEISD natatoriums, including humidity-control systems that help prevent rust and extend building life.

Read more about the NEISD bond election here. 

KENS5.com will have live updates of all results in the Bexar County election. All results will be posted at KENS5.com/elections starting the evening of Nov. 4.