Here are all of the results from Tuesday’s local elections.
SEGUIN ISD:
It’s back to the drawing board for the Seguin ISD after voters said “no” to Prop A which would have been key to solving its $4 million deficit. The Seguin ISD was hoping that voters would consider lowering the tax rate by saying “yes” to its Voter Approval Tax Ratification Election (VATRE). Tuesday’s decision by the voters now puts continued strain on the current budget. Seguin ISD Superintendent Dr. Veronica Vijil says it was not the outcome they were hoping for. Even though Prop A failed, the vote ended up being fairly close. Just over 51-percent of the votes were cast against it, while 49-percent of voters said yes to lowering the tax rate.
SEGUIN MAYORAL RACE:
City of Seguin voters are giving Mayor Donna Dodgen another four years in office. Dodgen on Tuesday defeated challenger Francisco Luciano “Frank” Herrera. Dodgen received 67-percent of the votes cast while Herrera trailed with 33-percent. Dodgen says she appreciates the continued support and looks forward to this next chapter. She says not only is the city growing but it’s growing in the right direction. This will mark Dodgen’s second and final term in office due to the city’s term limits.
SEGUIN CITY COUNCIL RACES:
One incumbent and two newcomers will be taking their seats on the Seguin City Council. Voters on Tuesday elected council members for Districts 2, 4 and 6. Elected to represent District 2 was newcomer David Eveld. Eveld defeated challenger Mario Hernandez for the position. Eveld received 53-percent of the votes cast while Hernandez received 47-percent. Eveld assumes the seat left vacant following the death of Councilwoman Sonia Mendez earlier this year.
There will also be a new face representing the constituents of District 4. John Carlsson defeated Ileen Rangel who was unsuccessful of following in the footsteps of her husband Chris Rangel who up to this point served the position, but due to term limits was ineligible to run for re-election. Carlsson received 51-percent of the votes cast, while Rangel fell short with 49-percent of the votes.
Returning to her District 6 seat on the Seguin City Council will be incumbent Monica Carter. Carter faced two challengers in the race. Despite there being three candidates in the race, Carter earned enough support to avoid a runoff election. Carter received 53-percent of the votes. Wrapping up the District 6 results were Felix Moreno with 27-percent and Suzanne Wynn with 20-percent.
GUADALUPE COUNTY:
The Guadalupe County Commissioners Court will welcome its newest member. Republican Candidate Jaqueline Ott on Tuesday captured the win for the Commissioner Pct. 1 seat. Ott led the entire night with a huge margin defeating not one but two challengers. Ott received 73-percent of the votes cast, while Democratic Candidate Nahomie Alanis followed with 23-percent. Rounding out the candidates was Libertarian Nolan Schmidt, who received just over four-percent of the votes. Ott, who replaces retiring Commissioner Greg Seidenberger will take over her new role on Jan. 1.
Guadalupe County Tax Assessor-Collector Daryl John was reelected on Tuesday. The Republican incumbent defeated Democratic candidate Jesus Trinidad Jr. for the position. John received 68-percent of the votes cast while Trinidad received 32-percent. John will also be sworn into office at the beginning of the year.
NAVARRO ISD:
The school board is officially complete in the Navarro ISD. Voters on Tuesday elected three at large trustee positions as well as one two-year unexpired trustee term. Claiming the three at-large positions were political newcomer Becki Stephenson and incumbents Clint Scheib and Melissa Sartain. Stephenson ended the night by leading the pack of eight candidates as the top vote getter, with Schieb and Sartain following behind to capture the three available four-year terms on the Navarro school board.
Meanwhile, there was another available seat open on the Navarro ISD Board of Trustees. That position will now go to Joel Frederick, who was the top vote getter in the race for the two-year unexpired term on the school board.
MARION CITY COUNCIL:
There’s been a total makeover of the Marion City Council. Voters in Marion welcomed five new aldermen during Tuesday’s election. The city had been in limbo after the resignation of most of its city leaders. This election was to be a step forward in helping the city recover and get back into normal operation. Claiming a spot on the Marion City Council are the top five vote getters Jerry Penshorn with 272 votes, Karen Mills with 203 votes, Phil Karrer with 186 votes, Kerry Gutierrez with 158 votes, and Jeremiah Burns with 112 votes. Penshorn, Mills, Karrer, Gutierrez and Burns are expected to be sworn into office during the council’s next meeting.
TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (DISTRICT 44):
Guadalupe County will soon have a new state representative. Republican Alan Schoolcraft easily defeated his Democratic opponent Eric Norman in the race for District 44 seat in the Texas House of Representatives. The seat was decided by voters across District 44, which includes both Guadalupe and Gonzales counties. Schoolcraft received 65-percent of the votes casts, while Norman received approximately 35-percent. Schoolcraft will replace longtime State Representative John Kuempel, who Schoolcraft defeated for the Republican nomination during the runoff election in May. He will officially sworn into office on January 1.
US SENATE/CONGRESSIONAL RACES:
Ted Cruz as the winner of the Senate race in Texas. The Republican beat back a strong challenge from Democratic Represenative Colin Allred in what was the most expensive Senate race in the U.S. During a victory speech in Houston, Cruz congratulated Allred on a hard fought campaign, but said he has been given a mandate by the people of Texas to secure the southern border, unleash Texas energy and defend God-given rights.
Meanwhile, Republican Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz has been reelected. De La Cruz defeated Democrat Michelle Vallejo earning 57-percent of the vote, compared to Vallejo’s 43-percent. De La Cruz’s seat covers the city of Seguin and a large portion of Guadalupe County. The rest of the county is part of district of Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar. Cuellar was also reelected after receiving 52-percent of the votes, while his Republican opponent, Jay Furman, received nearly 48-percent.