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Voters choose new government for Cotulla, pending recount
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Mayor’s ouster by slim margin examined this week; two councilors leave
Meanwhile, incumbents prevail at school district
Preliminary results of the May 4 municipal election in Cotulla show incumbent Mayor Javier Garcia falling a mere four votes shy of securing a new term in office, with voters choosing newcomer Sandra Luna for the job.
Luna earned 205 votes to Garcia’s 202, taking 41.75 percent of the electorate over the mayor’s 41.14 percent.
The narrow margin prompted Mayor Garcia to order and pay for a ballot recount that was set for Wednesday afternoon. City Hall has scheduled a council meeting for Thursday evening, May 9, at which the newly elected officeholders will be administered their oaths.
A third candidate in the mayoral race, former mayor Joe Lozano, earned 84 votes in the election, representing 17.1 percent of the electorate.
Although neither Garcia nor Luna earned more than 50 percent of the ballots on May 4, the city of Cotulla does not hold run-off elections, and Luna will be declared the winner if the recount does not alter Saturday’s outcome.
Voters have also ousted incumbents from two council seats this year, choosing challenger Mary Koraleski over Councilor Tanis Lopez in Place 1, with 218 votes to 262; and challenger Trish Garcia over Councilor Eloy Zertuche in Place 2, with 307 votes to 174.
Councilors-elect Koraleski and Garcia are being brought back to city government, having each served on the council in the past. Presumptive mayor-elect Luna is entering government for the first time, having retired from a career with the US Border Patrol.
Election results posted Saturday evening indicated that 496 out of a total 2,707 registered voters in the city of Cotulla cast ballots in the municipal election, representing a voter turnout of just over 18 percent.
Voter turnout was lower in the Cotulla ISD election for two members of the board of trustees, where 490 out of 4,089 registered voters in the school district cast ballots. The tally represents a turnout of less than 12 percent.
Results indicate voters have picked incumbent board members over their challengers by proportionately wide margins.
In Cotulla ISD’s Place 1, Trustee Kim Hoff earned 373 votes – more than 77 percent – to secure another term at the table. Challenger Alfredo Zamora earned 110 votes, representing 22.7 percent of the electorate.
At Place 4, incumbent Trustee Thomas Childers was returned to office with 280 votes or 57.3 percent over challenger Rene Sobrevilla, who took 208 votes, 42.6 percent.
Oaths of office for the returning trustees will be administered at the school board’s next scheduled meeting.
Posted in Breaking News, News
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