Voters in the Big Bend and Permian Basin on Saturday rejected proposed school bonds and picked new city council and school board representatives in multiple municipal elections.
In the May 3 municipal elections, Ector County voters also approved two emergency services districts aimed at bringing fire and EMS services to unincorporated parts of the county outside the city of Odessa.
Here are the results of notable local election results across the region.
All results shown are unofficial until certified by the appropriate governing entities.
Note: An asterisk by a candidate’s name indicates they are the incumbent in the election. Bold names indicate the winning candidates.
Big Bend area
Alpine residents elected two new city council members after the incumbents, Reagan Stone and Darin Nance, did not seek reelection.
Presidio voters rejected a proposed $9.9 million bond that would have gone toward building or upgrading school facilities, buying new school buses and security equipment for buses. Presidio voters also weighed in on three open city council seats - ousting incumbents Arian Velazquez-Ornelas and Abel "Billy" Hernandez in the process - and made their picks for three open seats on the local school board.
City council and school board elections in Marfa were canceled earlier this year after no candidates filed to challenge the incumbents, as the Big Bend Sentinel previously reported.
Alpine City Council, Ward 1
Richard Portillo | 118 |
Austin Smith | 43 |
Andres "Andy" Ramos | 5 |
Alpine City Council, Ward 3
Robert Rückes ran unopposed.
Presidio Mayor
Incumbent Mayor John Ferguson ran unopposed.
Presidio City Council (full term seats)
Silverio Escontrias | 287 |
Bianca Martinez-Bailon* | 181 |
Abel "Billy" Hernandez* | 132 |
Arian Velazquez-Ornelas* | 129 |
Jose "Pepe" Acosta | 128 |
Presidio City Council (unexpired term seat)
Juan Saenz | 295 |
Alondra Flores | 182 |
Presidio ISD School Board
Jeremy Velasquez | 336 |
Maria Loyola Montoya | 331 |
Iris S. Galindo | 257 |
Jose A. Padilla | 207 |
Tino Martinez | 169 |
Josefina Burrola | 155 |
Presidio ISD bond (Proposition A)
For | 248 |
Against | 269 |
Permian Basin
In Ector County, voters approved two new emergency services districts that will bring fire and EMS services to residents living in the county’s unincorporated areas outside the city of Odessa. County Sheriff Mike Griffis had backed the proposals, as local TV station KWES reported.
Voters in the Midland-Odessa area also rejected two proposed school bonds: a $450 million proposal from Midland College and a similar $325 million proposal from Odessa College.
Midland College said in a statement it was “disappointed” in the outcome and that “the needs that prompted this proposal still exist — and will only increase as our region grows.”
Voters in Midland County also rejected a more than $640 million bond proposal from the county’s utility district that would have gone toward water infrastructure improvements. According to the Midland-Reporter Telegram, the improvements would have been focused on areas south and east of the city of Midland.
Ector County Emergency Services Proposition A (fire)
For | 762 |
Against | 711 |
Ector County Emergency Services Proposition B (EMS)
For | 749 |
Against | 704 |
Ector County ISD school board
Steve Brown* | 724 |
Stacy King | 463 |
Odessa College bond proposal (Proposition A)
For | 1,883 |
Against | 3,869 |
Midland College bond proposal (Proposition A)
For | 3,809 |
Against | 7,284 |
Midland County Utility District bond proposal (Proposition A)
For | 328 |
Against | 1,039 |
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