Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen's job security hangs in the balance as county officials debate her future, with the pivotal November presidential election on the horizon. Callanen, who has been at the helm since 2005, is expected to steer the ship through the upcoming March 5 primary, but her role beyond that remains uncertain, according to the San Antonio Report. County Judge Peter Sakai has called for succession plans, stating, "I want to treat her with dignity and respect, but at the same time, we’ve got to put together a succession plan."
Despite the looming specter of replacement, Callanen appears unbowed, intimating no immediate plans to vacate her post. "I heard some committee members say ‘through November,'" Callanen said, postulating the possibility of her tenure stretching into the end of this year, as per an interview with reporters noted by the San Antonio Report. The Bexar County Election Commission, which includes leaders across party lines and is chaired by Sakai, met recently, signaling the first such gathering in nearly two decades, the Express-News reported. The commission's inertia ensured Callanen remains at least until after the primary, yet the full extent of her tenure is a matter for further discussion.
Callanen, who first alluded to retirement following the 2020 presidential election, now seems to have backpedaled on those plans. Political pressures appear not to be the sole catalyst for the contemplation of her exit; her name has been entangled in lawsuits and frustrations regarding changes in voting accessibility. Twice in the past four years, the county was taken to court over plans spearheaded by Callanen to reduce voting sites, which subsequently required a reversal to open more polling places.
The decision-making is far from insulated, with public opinion and political endorsements factoring in heavily. Supporters hail Callanen's fairness and professionalism, while voting rights advocates cite administrative issues and a need for a fresh approach. Tax Assessor-Collector Albert Uresti, who sits on the commission, exclaimed, "We’ve got to get through November. You don’t change horses in the middle of the race." Conversely, voting rights groups assert that the Bexar County Election Commission necessitates answers regarding her succession. "Given the approaching election, Callanen’s inconsistent statements about her own future in this role, and her track record of administrative problems, a meeting of the Bexar County Election Commission is necessary to get answers about the future of Bexar County Elections," representatives from several advocacy groups stated in a December 20 letter to Sakai and other commission members, the Express-News reported.
While the timeline for Callanen's potential departure is not carved in stone, both parties seek transparency in any succession process. "Whatever process we do for the successor of the elections administrator will be open and transparent," Judge Sakai told the press. Meanwhile, Callanen maintains that her primary endeavor is to keep politics removed from her office, a stance that no doubt colors her perception of, and response to, the shifting sands beneath her long-held position.
