Rodriguez wins San Marcos mayoral race with over 72% of the vote
The incumbent council member defeats former colleague Ryan Thomason, triggering a special election to fill her empty council seat.
By Alessia Romano ·
Amanda Rodriguez took the San Marcos mayoral office on Election Day, securing a decisive victory over her challenger. Unofficial Hays County reports show Rodriguez received 72.86% of the total votes. Her opponent, Ryan Thomason, collected 27.14% of the ballots. All precincts and Election Day locations have now reported their tallies.
Rodriguez currently serves as the city council member for Place 6. Thomason previously held that same position for two terms. The race concluded with Rodriguez maintaining a lead throughout the night. At 7:30 p.m. on November 3, only one of 90 precincts had reported, but Rodriguez already held 73.33% of the available votes. By 9:22 p.m., that figure settled at 72.32% with 20 of 34 locations reporting. The margin remained stable as final numbers came in by 7 a.m. on November 4.
In a statement issued after the results were confirmed, Rodriguez addressed the city directly. She stated, “I am humbled, honored and forever grateful to be your mayor, and I want to be clear: I am everyone's mayor.” She emphasized that she would serve regardless of how residents voted or whether they agreed with her policies. “Whether you voted for me or not. Whether you supported me or not. Whether we agree or disagree. I will be your mayor, and I will be here to serve,” she added.
Rodriguez’s win opens her seat on the city council. Voters in San Marcos are also casting ballots in a special election to fill that vacancy. Unofficial early data indicates Lisa Prewitt is leading that contest. Prewitt holds 51.88% of the vote. Juan Miguel Arredondo trails with 35.46%, and Bill Miller has 12.66%. A candidate must receive more than 50% of the vote to win outright. If no one reaches that threshold, the top two finishers advance to a runoff.
The mayoral contest occurred because current Mayor Jane Hughson did not seek reelection. Instead, Hughson entered the race for the Place 3 council seat. She is challenging incumbent Alyssa Garza for that position. All results for these local races are unofficial until the county completes the formal canvass of the ballots.
The election results were released in stages throughout the evening of November 3 and the morning of November 4. The final tally confirms Rodriguez as the new mayor. The special election results will determine who sits in Rodriguez’s former council chair.
