By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Candidates who won their races in the 2026 general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, say they’re ready to carry on or get started serving their constituents and expressed thanks for the voters who cast ballots.
Voter turnout in Val Verde County for the general election was heavy. According to figures reported by Val Verde County Clerk Teresa Esther Chapoy, a total of 11,980 of the county’s 31,038 registered voters have participated in the election so far, a number that translates to 38.6 percent. Chapoy said 102 mail-in ballots remain outstanding and will be counted if they are received by 5 p.m. Nov. 9.
Candidates, family members, friends and supporters began gathering outside the historic Val Verde County Courthouse as soon as the polls closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The candidates and their entourages formed discrete groups under the venerable old oaks and pecans on the wide courthouse lawn as they waited for the election results to be announced.
Chapoy and her elections deputy, Cynthia Reyes, as well as Republican Party Chair Sasha Grace and Democratic Party Chair Rosalinda Hernandez appeared at the front door of the courthouse at 9:20 p.m. to announce the unofficial results of the election. The results won’t be official until they are canvassed by county commissioners court on Nov. 12.
Conspicuously absent from the evening’s informal watch parties outside the courthouse was County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr., who typically waited for results with his wife Sylvia and their children, along with other family members and supporters. Owens, who recently announced he has been diagnosed with cancer, was seeking re-election to the county judge’s office.
Several of Owens’ supporters were in attendance outside the courthouse, distinctive in their yellow Owens campaign T-shirts, and they cheered when Chapoy announced that the unofficial results showed Owens had decisively beaten his challenger, Robert “Beau” Nettleton.
Owens, the Democratic Party nominee, had an unofficial total of 7,572 votes, 65 percent of the 11,619 total ballots cast in the race, to Nettleton’s unofficial total of 4,047 votes, 35 percent of the total votes.
Owens spoke about the election at the start of the November regular term of county commissioners court on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Owens said, “Before we move on, to everybody who ran for office, I want to congratulate them. To those that won, I want to congratulate them too, but, and I’ve said this on multiple occasions, when you decide to run (for office), you put your family through all kinds of shit, something that they’re not prepared for, something that you wish that, before you started to run, you ask yourself, is it really worth it? It is.
“It takes a lot for people to throw their hat in the ring, so if you come across some of the individuals who ran for office, whether they won or they didn’t – I hate using the word lost, but there always has to be somebody to go home – thank them. It takes a lot for people to run for office,” Owens said.
He added, “For everybody that came out and voted, I don’t know if we set a record or not, I want to thank them.”
Owens was congratulated before the meeting by two other winners from the general election, County Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez and County Commissioner Pct. 4 Gustavo “Gus” Flores.
Election results announced on Tuesday showed Vazquez received an unofficial total of 1,361 votes, 60 percent of the total 2,253 votes cast in the race. His challenger for the Pct. 2 seat, Rey Robles, had an unofficial total of 892 votes, or 40 percent of the total votes cast.
Vazquez and a large group of family members and friends camped out in front of the courthouse, and the announcement of the results elicited cheers and clapping.
Vazquez said, “I’m happy. I’m ecstatic. I will continue to be the Precinct 2 county commissioner because of the will of the people. It was up to them, and they decided I was doing enough for the community to keep me there another four years. It’s very humbling, and it means a lot.
“I want to thank the people of the county, Precinct 2, and I want them to know I will continue to be there for them. I also thank the Lord, I thank my mom, my family, my supporters and especially my constituents, that put me in office for four more years. God bless you all,” Vazquez said.
Flores, a Democrat, was not present at the courthouse, and his re-election race was the closest of the six contested county races. Flores earned an unofficial total of 1,431 votes, 51 percent of the total 2,783 votes cast in the race, with his challenger, Republican Party nominee John I. Wardlaw, garnering an unofficial total of 1,352 votes, or 49 percent of the total cast.
Flores spoke about his victory following Wednesday’s commissioners court meeting.
Flores said, “I’m very proud, very proud of my family. They’re my best supporters. They’re my backbone. Without them, I couldn’t do a lot of these things or be successful. I also want to thank the people, my loyal supporters that have always been there for me.
“It’s a good feeling, to win, because nobody runs to lose. I think if I was to lose, I’d probably start melting. I take a lot of pride in what I do, especially representing the people and coming up with projects and programs that benefit everybody, not just Precinct 4, but the whole county. I’m not just talk, I’m action, and I’m still young – not as young as I used to be, but not old – and thanks to God still healthy, so I’m ready to serve four more years,” Flores said.
While Val Verde County sent a trio of familiar faces back to commissioners court, they also selected three new faces for the offices of district clerk and two justice of the peace seats.
Mary Jane Ross, a member of the county auditor’s staff and the Republican nominee for the office of district clerk, handily defeated Rachel Magallanes, a current member of the district clerk’s staff and the Democratic Party nominee. Ross had an unofficial total of 6,026 votes, which represented 53 percent of the total 11,475 votes cast in the race, while Magallanes had an unofficial total of 5,449 votes, or 47 percent of the total votes cast.
After the results were announced, Ross said, “Oh my goodness, I feel so overwhelmed, so happy. I’m so proud. It’s just a great feeling. Just the support, it means so much to me.”
Asked about the work ahead of her after she is sworn in on Jan. 1, 2027, Ross said, “I am so ready. I think I’ve been ready for a few years now. This is something that I’ve really wanted, and it was my goal. I’m ready to serve everyone.”
Del Rio Police Department veteran Roberto “Bobby” Hernandez will be sworn in on Jan. 1, 2027, as well, as the new justice of the peace Pct. 2. Hernandez, the Democratic Party nominee, defeated the sitting justice of the peace Pct. 2 J. Randel Dissler, the Republican Party nominee, as well as write-in candidate James Fernandez.
Hernandez had an unofficial total of 1,312 votes, 58 percent of the total 2,253 votes cast in the race, while Dissler had an unofficial total of 822 votes, representing 36 percent of the total cast. The write-in candidate received 119 votes, 6 percent of the total votes.
Hernandez waited outside the courthouse with his son and fellow DRPD officer Estevan Hernandez. After the results were announced, the elder Hernandez said, “I’m relieved that it’s over. I thank God that we live in a country where people like you and me can vote, can apply for the position and win. Also, my family backing, all the people who had confidence in me.
“Public service is continuous in my family, for me, first in the police department and now on the bench. This is my town. This is my city, so I’m very happy. I’m honored to have won this election. Judge Dissler set the standard high, and I just told him I will try and live up to his example,” said Hernandez, who has been with the DRPD for 31 years.
Ashly Vicuña, who currently serves as the chief deputy for Justice of the Peace Pct. 3 Pat Cole, will take over for her boss on Jan. 1, 2027. Vicuña, the Republican Party nominee, posted one of the largest margins of victory in the election, earning an unofficial total of 2,727 votes, 66 percent of the total 4,139 votes cast in the race. Loida S. Arellano, the Democratic Party nominee, had an unofficial total of 1,412 votes, 34 percent of the total.
After the results were announced, Vicuña said, “I’m just excited, excited and very thankful that the people saw the potential in me. We did a lot of work (campaigning), and tonight all that work paid off.”
Vicuña concurred she will be filling a big pair of shoes, but said she believes she is ready.
“I had a great teacher. I’ve always stood by her side. We’ve been through everything together,” Vicuña said.
All four of the county’s justices of the peace were up for election this year, and while voters picked two new judges, they also re-elected two of the incumbent justices.
Justice of the Peace Pct. 1 Jesse James Treviño, the Democratic Party nominee, handed his challenger Mario Bosquez, the Republican Party nominee, a resounding defeat, earning an unofficial total of 1,624 votes, 67 percent of the 2,409 total votes cast in the race. Bosquez had an unofficial total of 785 votes, or 33 percent.
After the results in his race were announced, Treviño got a long hug and a peck on the cheek from his wife Erica, who has been his number one supporter through the years and multiple elections.
Treviño said, “It’s exciting. The nerves are over now, I’m glad the people still want me in office, and I appreciate their support. Of course, also my wife and my family. I’m glad to have another four years in office and will continue helping the people, just as I’ve been doing for the past six years. It feels good.”
The fourth justice, Justice of the Peace Pct. 4 Hilda Castillo Lopez, the Democratic Party nominee, was unopposed in her re-election bid. She was re-elected with an unofficial total of 2,154 votes.
Several other county officials were re-elected without opposition in the 2026 general election.
They included 83rd Judicial District Judge Robert E. Cadena, Republican, who had an unofficial total of 8,360 votes; County Court-at-Law Judge Sergio J. Gonzalez, Democrat, who had an unofficial total of 8,792 votes; County Clerk Teresa Esther Chapoy, Republican, who had an unofficial total of 8,039 votes; County Treasurer Aaron D. Rodriguez, Democrat, who had an unofficial total of 8,381 votes; and County Surveyor Abner Martinez, Democrat, who had an unofficial total of 8,156 votes.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
