Garza is new county commissioner
Meghann Garcia
Managing editor
For the first time in eight years, there will be a new face on the Uvalde County Commissioners Court come next January. After besting incumbent Commissioner Raul Flores in the March 6 Democratic Party primary, Ronald “Ronnie” Garza went on to win the Precinct 4 seat over Republican candidate Pete Conrad.
At the same time, a familiar face will continue to preside over the court as incumbent County Judge Bill Mitchell won a ninth term, garnering 4,990 votes compared with Republican challenger Don Laffere’s 2,890 votes. Mitchell was fist elected in 1986.
On Election Day, Mitchell received 1,478 votes to Laffere’s 1,008. The outcome was up to all Uvalde County voters, but 110 people did not vote for either candidate.
According to unofficial reports released Tuesday night, Garza received 1,203 votes to Conrad’s 781. Uvalde County polling precincts 6, 7, 8, 9 and 14 had a say in the outcome, although 37 voters within those precincts did not vote for either candidate.
On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 6, Garza received 306 votes to Conrad’s 220.
The commissioners’ court makeup has not changed since January of 2011, when Flores and Commissioner Mariano Pargas, who was not opposed this year, began their first terms. They are both currently in their second term on the court.
Incumbent Pct. 1 justice of the peace Steve Kennedy, who was first elected in 1994, also won re-election. Kennedy bested Democratic challenger Ramona Esquivel Southward with 1,678 votes to 1,151. Residents within Uvalde County polling precincts 1, 5 and 12 had a say in the outcome, although 45 people did not vote for either candidate while one person chose both.
Pct. 3 justice of the peace Bill Schaefer, who was first elected to the post in 1998, lost his re-election bid to Republican challenger Ernie Moore. Schaefer received 260 votes to Moore’s 530.
Nine people within Uvalde County’s voting precincts 3 and 4 did not vote for either candidate.
The results released Tuesday will be canvassed on a date to be announced. Votes must be canvassed before they are official.
Of the 17,024 registered voters in Uvalde County, only 46.93 percent, or 7,990 people, cast a ballot in this midterm election. There were 4,700 early voters who were able to cast a regular ballot; provisional ballots have not yet been tallied.
Returned ballots by mail totaled 772, and election day voters numbered 2,518.
In 2014, another mid-term election, turnout for Uvalde County was 32.28 percent, with 5,209 of 16,138 eligible voters participating. In 2010, turnout was 38.27 percent, with 6,231 voters participating.
Utopia school race
For the four positions on the Utopia Independent School District board of trustees, the top vote-earners were Shirley Dibbens with 257; Betty Boyce, 229; Steve Darden, 202; and Tanya Cox, 178. Fifth candidate Amanda McBeth received 115 votes.
Only Precinct 3 voters were able to decide the Utopia ISD school board election.
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