By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Early voting in the May 2 election to seat four members of the city council, four members of the local public school district board of trustees and four members of the hospital district board began Monday.
Early voting by personal appearance for all county voting precincts in the May 2 Uniform Elections will be at the Del Rio Civic Center, 1915 Veterans Blvd.
Early voting will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, April 20. There will be no early voting on Tuesday, April 21, in observance of San Jacinto Day. Voting resumes from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, through Saturday, April 25, and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 27. Final early voting days will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, April 27, and Tuesday, April 28.
According to information on the website of Val Verde County Clerk Teresa Esther Chapoy, who is administering the elections for the city, school district and hospital district, 214 persons cast early ballots in the city council election on Monday, and 238 persons cast early ballots in the school district and hospital district elections.
Chapoy said of the first day turnout, “Early voting on Monday April 20th at the civic center went fantastic! Weather probably kept some voters sheltered at home, but participation was steady with no glitches!”
City and county registered voters who don’t cast an early ballot will still have one more chance to vote. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Saturday, May 2.
Registered voters who live inside the Del Rio city limits will select four members to the Del Rio City Council.
There are six candidates running for the office of mayor. They include the current mayor, Al Arreola; James “Jim” DeReus, who currently serves as the District 2 representative on the city council; Efrain V. Valdez, former city councilman, former mayor and former Val Verde County judge; Ryan Horning, who works in law enforcement; Lazaro “Laz” Castro, who works as the city’s parks and recreation superintendent; and Arturo Rodriguez, a retired U.S. Customs officer.
Voters eligible to cast ballots in the city council election will also select a City Councilperson At-Large, Place C. Candidates for this office include the incumbent, Ernestina “Tina” Martinez; LeRoy Briones and Alexandra Falcon Calderon, both business owners.
City voters who live in city council District 1 will select a new representative. The current District 1 council representative, Jesus Lopez Jr., is not seeking re-election, and District 1 voters will pick either Elsa Reyes or Jorge “George” Vargas as their new representative.
City voters who live in council District 2 will also pick a new representative, since the current District 2 councilman, DeReus, has reached his term limit in the office and is running for mayor. District 2 voters will pick either Leno Hernandez Jr. or David Scarbo.
Voters who cast early ballots by personal appearance will also have a chance to select four members of the San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees and four members of the Val Verde County Hospital District Board.
Voters will pick either Jesus Emilio Galindo, the incumbent, or Priscilla Aguilar for the school board’s Place I; Linda Guanajuato-Webb, the incumbent, or Edward Guerrero for the school board’s Place III; Bryan Weston, who is unopposed, for the school district’s Place IV; and Rebekah “Becky” Luna Chavez, the incumbent, or Leonel “Leo” Cavazos for the school board’s Place V.
Hospital board voters will select two of four candidates as at-large members. The four candidates are Lee Keenen and Cris A. Diaz, incumbents; Ramon Santellanes III and Raul Alatorre.
