By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
One of the candidates who filed for election to a city council seat had previously filed an application to seek a county elected office.
Del Rioan Arturo Rodriguez, a retired federal law enforcement officer, is currently a licensed Realtor.
In December, Rodriguez filed an application for a place on the March 1 ballot for the Republican Party Primary Election, seeking the local party voters’ nomination for the position of county judge.
Because Rodriguez is unopposed in the primary, he will likely become the Republican Party nominee for the county judge position.
On Friday, Rodriguez also filed an application for the place on the ballot for the May 7 municipal election.
Rodriguez is seeking election as the Councilperson District II seat on the Del Rio City Council, currently held by Jim DeReus. DeReus has filed for re-election to the seat.
As soon as Rodriguez filed his application, the question arose whether or not he could run for two local elected positions.
After filing for the council seats closed at 5 p.m. Friday, City Secretary Mari Acosta spoke to The 830 Times about the question of Rodriguez’s candidacy for both county and city council offices. She said she had contacted the city’s attorneys to ask about the issue.
“So the law does allow Mr. Rodriguez to run for both positions. If he wins the district race (for District II councilperson), then legally there is an automatic resignation by the candidate for the District II position,” Acosta said.
“It’s an automatic resignation, is how we interpret the law,” the city secretary added.
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