San Antonio – A former councilman, unsuccessful candidates, and a bicycling advocate are among the 18 people who’ve thrown their hats in the ring to temporarily replace District 10 Councilman Clayton Perry on the San Antonio City Council.

Perry took a temporary leave of absence, which he called a “sabbatical,” in the wake of his self-confessed involvement in a Nov. 6 hit-and-run crash, which police say may have also included a DWI.

The North Side councilman has not resigned his seat and could return at any point during the roughly six months left in his term, but the council plans to appoint a temporary replacement in the meantime.

After the 5 p.m. deadline to apply passed on Monday, the city had 18 “qualified” applicants from which the council can choose.

Mike Gallagher, who represented District 10 from 2014 to 2017 and is now the president of the Northeast Neighborhood Alliance, is one of the most familiar names on the list. At least two others, Ezra Johnson and Elise Kibler, have also previously run for the seat.

The council can choose up to three of the candidates for its Nov. 30 meeting to interview during its Dec. 1 meeting. The council members are expected to vote on the appointment at the Dec. 1 meeting.

“Wednesday, we’ll be reviewing those applicants and deciding on up to 3 finalists to be interviewed in public on Thursday. Thursday, we will deliberate and make a decision on the d10 temporary replacement,” said Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

Although city ordinance states the resulting appointee will be immediately sworn-in, that will only happen with a vote of at least eight of the 10 other council members, according to the online agenda documents. If there are six or seven votes in favor, the appointee would be sworn in on Dec. 12.

District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez shared some advice for potential candidates.

“If this is a candidate who comes to us without the recommendations of HOA presidents and boards and the alliances, then as far as I’m concerned, they’re not a person I’ll be voting for. So for me, I’ll be looking for neighborhood support because, after all, this is their district, not mine,” said District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez.

The replacement will serve either until the end of Perry’s term in early June or until the councilman returns from his leave of absence, whichever is sooner.

Voters will choose the next District 10 council member during the city’s May 6, 2023 election.

FULL LIST OF APPLICANTS

1. Charles Daniels
2. Gracie Farias
3. Michael R. Gallagher
4. Jose F. Garcia
5. Lisa Garcia
6. Donald J. Hartshorn
7. Ezra Johnson
8. Elise L. Kibler
9. Laurence Kurth
10. Christopher Longoria
11. Bryan Martin
12. William Peche
13. Pauline A. Rubio
14. Christopher W. Sanchez
15. Andrew Shelnutt
16. Joel G. Solis
17. Timothy P. Taylor
18. Laura Thompson