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Cindy Onyekwelu
Cindy Onyekwelu ran for election to the San Antonio City Council to represent District 8 in Texas. She lost in the general election on May 3, 2025.
Onyekwelu completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Cindy Onyekwelu was born in Houston, Texas. She earned a high school diploma from Alief Taylor High School and a bachelor's degree from Pitzer College in 2018. Her career experience includes working as a software engineer, art therapist, and farmer market host. Onyekwelu also has experience as a contractor for the United States Air Force.[1]
Elections
2025
See also: City elections in San Antonio, Texas (2025)
General runoff election
General runoff election for San Antonio City Council District 8
Ivalis Gonzalez defeated Paula McGee in the general runoff election for San Antonio City Council District 8 on June 7, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Ivalis Gonzalez (Nonpartisan) | 57.4 | 9,366 | |
| Paula McGee (Nonpartisan) | 42.6 | 6,959 | ||
| Total votes: 16,325 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
General election
General election for San Antonio City Council District 8
The following candidates ran in the general election for San Antonio City Council District 8 on May 3, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Ivalis Gonzalez (Nonpartisan) | 40.4 | 4,981 | |
| ✔ | Paula McGee (Nonpartisan) | 22.2 | 2,739 | |
| Sakib Shaikh (Nonpartisan) | 21.6 | 2,664 | ||
 | Cesario Garcia (Nonpartisan) | 9.0 | 1,111 | |
 | Cindy Onyekwelu (Nonpartisan) | 3.8 | 475 | |
| Rodney Kidd (Nonpartisan) | 3.0 | 368 | ||
| Total votes: 12,338 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Onyekwelu in this election.
Campaign themes
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Cindy Onyekwelu completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Onyekwelu's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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My background includes a first-generation Nigerian-Mexican American working-class upbringing in Southwest Houston, Texas. My civic priorities are focused on enhancing district-wide ADA compliance and emergency utility public safety measures. I am also committed to fostering economic growth by empowering small business owners to attract investment, and to inspiring the next generation of leadership within our community.
"I'm passionate about building a better future. As a first-generation American, I've learned the importance of unity and understanding. I believe we need leaders who prioritize humanity and work together to create a fair and just system. My parents' courage inspires me to make politics a force for good; instead of treating politics like it’s a football game.”- San Antonio's growth hinges on attracting investment and jobs, building a skilled workforce via targeted education, and empowering small businesses with grants and programs. This fosters a thriving economy by supporting key industries and local entrepreneurs.
- Infrastructure (particularly streets) to comply with ADA regulations , addressing homelessness and increasing affordable housing along with emergency wifi/ utilities. Within my first 100 days, I'll prioritize data-driven solutions. Leveraging the South Texas Medical Center's resources, I'll initiate a collaborative analysis of emergency room reliance by the homeless population, focusing on underlying mental health needs. This will create more cost-effective interventions that would help the city better combat homelessness with better outcomes.
- We must invest in vocational training and apprenticeship programs that equip residents with in-demand skills for industries like construction, manufacturing, and technology. I will also work to attract businesses that provide well-paying jobs and support small business growth, which is a crucial engine of our local economy. I would reach out to “Ready to Work SA” for their feedback on how their latest 2024 program launched with Alamo Colleges is doing after reviewing feedback and their rate of completion amongst residents working toward a 4 year degree v.s. Certifications.
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Furthermore, I will establish consistent office hours and convene advisory boards composed of engaged community members. Additionally, I will text out surveys and data analysis to effectively ascertain community priorities and evaluate the efficacy of implemented policies.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 23, 2025
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