Polls open Monday for early voting

From Monday through Thursday, polls will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. All locations will be closed Friday for the Battle of Flowers. From Monday through Thursday, polls will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. All locations will be closed Friday for the Battle of Flowers. Photo: Eric Gay, STF / AP Photo: Eric Gay, STF / AP Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Polls open Monday for early voting 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Starting today, more than 40 polling locations across town will be open and ready for early voters to cast ballots in this year’s municipal and school elections. Visit the Bexar County Elections page for a list of locations.

From Monday through Thursday, polls will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. All locations will be closed Friday for the Battle of Flowers. Polls reopen Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., then close Sunday. Polls open again Monday and Tuesday, May 1-2, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Early voters can visit any location to cast a ballot. Election Day is Saturday, May 6.

This year’s ballot includes the mayoral and city council races. Mayor Ivy Taylor faces 13 challengers this election, with Ron Nirenberg and Manuel Medina tapped frontrunners. At least four new people are expected to join City Council this year.

Along with choosing the city’s mayor and City Council members, voters will also decide whether to approve or reject all or part of a proposed $850 million city bond proposal. There are six different propositions, including $445.3 million for streets and $139 million for drainage improvements.

A separate $450 million Alamo Colleges bond proposal would provide funding for building renovation and construction of new facilities. Voters in several public school districts also will see bond issues on their ballots.

Under Texas voting law, people can provide one of seven accepted forms of identification to vote, which include a driver’s license, an election identification certificate, a handgun license or a passport.

Also, after the state’s law was found to violate a section of the Voting Rights Act earlier this year and a federal judge in Corpus Christi ruled again in April, voters can provide other identification such as a voter registration card, an original birth certificate, a current utility bill, original bank statement or paycheck, if the voter couldn’t get one of the preferred methods in time to vote. However, the person also will have to sign a declaration that he or she faced an undue burden in getting one of the accepted forms.

There are 1,025,632 registered voters in Bexar County, according to elections administrator Jacquelyn Callanen.