By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Del Rio voters will pick a new mayor and a new District I representative for the city council on June 18.
Del Rio City Council members on Tuesday set June 18 as the date for a special runoff election for the mayor and District I positions on the city council.
Council members set the runoff date after canvassing the results of the May 7 city election and determining no clear winner in the mayor and District I races.
Four persons were on the ballot to become the next mayor. According to the canvass, Del Rio businessman and former council member Al Arreola received an official total of 1,012 votes, the most in the race. Retired Border Patrol supervisor and small business owner Virgil Armstrong came in second with an official total of 763 votes.
Eagle Pass postmaster and former councilman Alfredo “Fred” Contreras received an official total of 449 votes, and political newcomer Alejandra “Alex” Hernandez received an official total of 251 votes.
None of the four candidates received the required “50 percent plus one vote” majority to win the race outright.
The same scenario played out in the District I race. Of the three candidates, Jesus Lopez Jr. received an official total of 320 votes, trailed by Mario Bosquez, who received an official total of 194 votes. Janice Sandoval received an official total of 177 votes.
During its meeting Tuesday, the city council certified the election results via ordinance and also approved an ordinance setting a date for a runoff election to elect a new mayor and District I representative.
Early voting for the runoff will begin on Monday, June 6, and end on Tuesday, June 14.
Early voting will be conducted at the Del Rio Civic Center, 1915 Veterans Blvd., from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, June 6, through Friday, June 10, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, June 13, and Tuesday, June 14.
On Election Day, Saturday, June 18, voters may cast ballots from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in one of three polling locations around the city.
Those polling locations are as follows:
- Joe Ramos Center for city voters in county election precincts 10B, 30B and 40.
- Del Rio Civic Center conference room for voters in county election precincts 22A, 30A and 31.
- City Hall (rear) for voters in county election precincts 10A, 11, 12, 13, 21 and 22B.
Voters who did not cast ballots in the May 7 election are eligible to vote in the runoff. Voters who reside anywhere in the city limits may cast their ballots in the mayor’s race, but only residents of District I will be able to vote in the District I race.
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Contact the author at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
