After months of contentious campaigning, a city charter dispute, a fired city attorney and a landslide runoff election, New Braunfels will have a new mayor.

Michael French came out on top in the first 2026 city council election on May 2 with 49. 18% and was believed to be the winner under the city charter's rule of plurality.

After outside legal counsel informed former City Attorney Valeria Acevedo that this section contradicted state law - which states that any office with a term of more than two years must be decided by a majority vote - a runoff election was called, public outrage flared and Acevedo lost her job as a result, The Herald-Zeitung previously reported.