SAN ANTONIO – District 7 City Councilwoman Ana Sandoval announced her resignation from City Council.
Sandoval, who was first elected to the San Antonio City Council in 2017, had four months left in her current term.
In a letter and video directed to her constituents, Sandoval said that as a new mother, she felt that she couldn’t meet both the needs of the community and her family and decided she needed to put her family first.
“While serving has been fulfilling, it is now time for me to direct my attention to personal matters, including my new family. Over the past year and a half, my personal responsibilities have grown, and it is now time for me to ensure I give them the attention they need,” Sandoval said in the letter.
Sandoval, 47, previously told KSAT that during the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided it was time to undergo invitro fertilization with the eggs she had frozen while she was in her 30s.
“I wanted a baby, and the time was ticking away. And I didn’t want to basically wake up one day at the end of my term limits as a council member and say, ‘Oh, I could have done that and have missed this opportunity,'” she said.
Sandoval told KSAT that having a child gave her a “new lens to see things through.”
A spokesperson for the councilwoman told KSAT that Sandoval had accepted a position in the research division at University Health.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg issued the following statement about Sandoval’s announcement.
“Councilwoman Sandoval and I spoke early last week about her next phase, which is admittedly bittersweet. We will miss her steadfast commitment to our local environment, equitable policies, and the general wellbeing of San Antonio’s residents. I think I speak for all San Antonians in wishing her and baby Isadora all the best in their next chapter. I am thankful that our community will continue to reap the benefits of her knowledge and experience at University Health,” Nirenberg said.
Sandoval grew up in District 7 after her family came to the United States from Monterrey, Mexico when she was a year old.
She graduated from Jefferson High School and went on to get degrees from MIT, Stanford, and Harvard.
In September, Sandoval was confronted by an angry District 1 Councilman Mario Bravo during a council meeting. Bravo was upset that Sandoval abstained from a vote about plans for spending excess CPS Energy revenue. Following the incident, the Council censured and passed a no-confidence vote against District 1 Councilman Mario Bravo.
Sandoval did not reference the incident in her resignation letter.
A City Hall source told KSAT that the City Attorney is looking into the ramifications of the vacancy. The council will have to accept her resignation before any process begins to fill her District 7 vacancy until the May 6 city election.
Starting Wednesday, aspiring City Council candidates can apply to be on the ballot. Applications can be filed at the Office of the City Clerk in City Hall at 100 Military Plaza from Jan. 18 until 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 17.