City election pushed back to November
By RAUL GARCIA JR | The Mercedes Enterprise
Mercedes candidates running for office will have to wait until the November General Election to cast their vote for city office as city leaders voted to put safety over politics pushing the mayoral and two city commissioner races back because of the threat of the COVID -19 virus.
“Why put our community members at risk,” said Leo Villarreal, Mercedes City Commissioner, place 1. “I think we should follow the recommendation of the county.”
Hidalgo County issued a disaster declaration, canceled the May elections and bans gatherings of 10 or more people. It is in effect until April 5 in effort to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
The City Commission voted 3-1 during a special meeting held Monday to move the election to November’s General Election.
Commissioner Jose Gomez voted against postponing the May election.
The change of the election date does not allow for any new candidates to place their name on the ballot.
The three races include the mayoral seat that will be vacated as Mercedes Mayor Henry Hinojosa who will have completed three consecutive terms as mayor since first being first elected in 2012.
The mayoral seat has drawn two candidates in Oscar Montoya and Israel Coronado.
Commissioner place 1 held by incumbent Leo Villarreal has drawn three opponents in Jacob Howell, Melissa Rincon and Velda Garcia.
Commissioner place 3 has multiple candidates running for the seat as Commissioner Chris De Leon is not seeking reelection. The candidates are former commissioner Ruben Guajardo, former commissioner David Garza, Jose Martinez, Ramon Mejia, Miguel Loya and Laura Alvarado.
Commissioner Gomez said at the city meeting he had contacted each of the candidates on the ballot and seven out of the 11 agreed in keeping the election scheduled in May.
“My reason is three of them will be sitting up here and they will be making decisions,” Gomez said. “Moving it up to November, it’s suggested and it’s a good thing, but is there any guarantee that we will be over this by November?”
The county has suspended all elections until November.
“The country is the one who pays for usage of the voting machines, so what are we going to do with no voting machines,” Mayor Henry Hinojosa said.
“All the mayors of Hidalgo County and the County Judge – we all agreed that we should all be in unison with the county judge.”
On March 19 Hidalgo County Disaster Declaration prohibits the more than 50 people to gather in one place. It was later heightened to limit gatherings to 10 people.
