8 runoff races to be decided Saturday in El Paso, Socorro
Dec 13, 2024
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) -- Voters in the City of El Paso and the City of Socorro will be going to the polls on Saturday, Dec. 14 to decide a total of eight runoff races.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. You can vote at any polling location.
In the City of El Paso, the mayor and five City Council seats are being contested in the runoff, after no one in those races secured a majority of the vote during the general election on Nov. 5.
In the mayor's race, businessman and political newcomer Renard Johnson and city Rep. for District 1 Brian Kennedy emerged from an eight-person field to succeed incumbent Oscar Leeser. Leeser is barred by term limits from seeking another term after serving two non-consecutive four-year terms.
Here is a breakdown of the City Council races:
In District 1, school administrator Monica Reyes is facing Alejandra "Ale" Chavez, a former restaurant owner. They are running to serve the unexpired term of Kennedy, who is having to resign his seat on the City Council to run for mayor.
In District 3, Deanna Maldonado-Rocha is facing off with Jose Rodriguez. They are vying to succeed incumbent Cassandra Hernandez, who served two terms and ran for mayor. Maldonado-Rocha is a capacity analyst in the health-care industry and Rodriguez is a Realtor.
In District 4, incumbent Joe "Chief" Molinar is in a runoff with challenger Cynthia Boyar Trejo. Molinar is finishing his first term in office. Boyar Trejo is a first-time candidate and a business owner.
In District 5, Ivan Nino, the chief of staff for city Rep. Isabel Salcido, is facing off with Amanda Cunningham, a social services worker and consultant. They are seeking to fill the unexpired term of Salcido, who is having to vacate her seat on the council after running unsuccessfully for mayor.
In District 7, Lily Limon, a retired educator and former city representative, is facing Chris Hernandez, who is currently serving as a trustee on the Ysleta Independent School Board. They are vying to succeed Henry Rivera, who is finishing up his second term on council and couldn't run for re-election.
Also in the runoff is Municipal Court No. 4 in El Paso -- pitting incumbent judge and attorney Lauren Ferris against attorney Samuel Flores.
In Socorro, Irene Rojas and Enrique Cisneros are in a runoff for City Council District 4. Incumbent Yvonne Colon-Villalobos was defeated on Nov. 5, but neither Cisneros nor Rojas were able to secure a majority of the vote.
To find a polling location near you, you can click here.