Let’s All Go Vote, 3 Days left of Early Voting and Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th
By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016
The 2016 General Election of November 8th featuring the United States Presidential Election and important federal, state, and local elections is breaking voters participation records throughout the United States, State of Texas, and even Maverick County. There are just three days of Early Voting Period remaining for you to go vote, Wednesday, November 2nd, Thursday, November 3rd, and Friday, November 4th, at the City of Eagle Pass Multi-Purpose Center from 8 A.M.-7 P.M. and on Tuesday, November 8th, at designated polling places throughout Maverick County from 7 A.M.-7 P.M.
This is it. You have a total of four days to get yourself, spouse or significant other, children, grand children, family, friends, co-workers, and registered voters to go vote in this very important national, state, and local election. Why haven’t you gone to vote yet? There are no excuses. Your right to vote is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and numerous foreign wars and legal fights to allow women, African-Americans, Latinos, and other minorities to be able to vote. Don’t just sit at home and complain about your public leaders, but rather get up and drive yourself to the Multi-Purpose Center Early Voting Poll during November 2-4th or on Tuesday, November 8th, at your Precinct County Polling Place to VOTE. Feel and use the power of your VOTE. Go Ahead, go vote and make a difference in the United States, State of Texas, and Maverick County. If you don’t go vote this election, then don’t complain about your public leaders and/or governmental entities. You only have yourself to blame for not voting this election. Instead, go vote and have your VOTE COUNT.
The hottest race on the ballot is the U.S. Presidential Election between Democratic Party candidate Secretary Hillary Clinton and Republican Party candidate Donald J. Trump. The stakes are high in this election. What kind of a society and direction will the United States take if Democrat Hillary Clinton is elected as the first woman President in the history of the United States or if Republican Donald J. Trump is elected? Will America remain a beacon for democracy and diversity or will a useless giant border wall be built between the U.S.-Mexico border and will America revert to racism? Your VOTE will decide the future of the Unites States-only if you VOTE. If you don’t VOTE, then stop crying about the election results. The U.S. Presidential election will decide the future of you, your children, family, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and your community for generations to come. JUST GO VOTE! It is totally painless and takes less than five minutes to VOTE in Maverick County.
Another contested election on the ballot is the race for United States House of Representative (Congress), District 23-Texas, between Democratic Party Challenger Pete P. Gallego and incumbent Republican Will Hurd. Will this Congressional race between Gallego and Hurd flip to the opposing party like it has for the past 14 or so years? No incumbent in recent history has been able to win re-election. Last election in 2014, Hurd narrowly upset Gallego by less than 2.300 votes. Your VOTE will decide if Gallego defeats Hurd or if Hurd gets re-elected. Go VOTE!
The hottest local contested race garnering the most attention is for the Eagle Pass Independent School District Board of Trustees Place No. 2 between challenger and local business entrepreneur Christopher Hiller and incumbent and Maverick County employee Ignacio “Nacho” Saucedo. This race is CALIENTE. It has all the traditional South Texas political strategies such as paid vote haulers, opposing political organizations going Mano a Mano, many publicly elected officials calling their loyal supporters to vote for a certain candidate or another, large staffs of paid and volunteer campaign workers, and the future of our local public education system and students is at stake. This race is worth getting off the couch in the TV room and casting your powerful VOTE for the candidate of our choice. Get up and make a difference.
The next hottest local race is for the Eagle Pass Independent School District Board of Trustees Place No. 1 between four candidates, including Texas A&M University engineer and General Manager of the Eagle Pass Water Works & Sewer System Jorge Barrera, retired educator Juan Jose “Pachi” Olivares, Middle Rio Grande Development Council Economic Development Director Ronnie Rivera, and retired educator Ricardo “Riche” Lopez. This race has all the bells and whistles of a tightly contested election going down to the wire. Let your VOTE decide which of the four candidates wins. Again, the future of our public education system and students is on the line.
Another hotly contested local election is for the Eagle Pass Independent School District Board of Trustees Place No. 6 between challenger and noted Tejano music songwriter and musician Carmen Ravenna and incumbent and local dentist Dr. Hector Alvarez. This race is a fight between two independent candidates. Ravenna has strong support from many diverse individuals and groups while Alvarez has a large following of local automotive safety groups and many community residents. Your VOTE may determine which of the two candidates wins.
Another tight local election is for the Eagle Pass Independent School District Board of Trustees Place No. 7 between incumbent and retired educator Glenna Purcell and challenger Eagle Passan Carmen Schmerber-Garcia. Purcell has a large following of current and retired educators and parents while Schmerber-Garcia has support of many locally elected public officials and individuals. This race will be close. Have your VOTE decide the winner.
A hotly disputed local election is for Maverick County Sheriff between incumbent Democrat Sheriff Tom Schmerber and challenger Republican Anthony Ramirez. Sheriff Schmerber seeks re-election and has a large following of local residents and strong support of certain publicly elected officials within the community. Ramirez is a retired U.S. Army Veteran who served during the Iraqi War and now seeks to serve Maverick Countians as an independent Sheriff supported by many local residents and U.S. Veterans’ Groups. This race will determine county-wide law enforcement and U..S.-Mexico border security/protection issues for Maverick Countians for the next four years. VOTE and make a difference.
The Maverick County Hospital District Board of Directors election will elect the top three vote getters among eight candidates. Vying for one of the three positions on the local Hospital District Board include local attorney and incumbent Board member Ricardo “Rica” Calderon who is supported by a diverse cross-section of local individuals, health care community, and local fiscally-conscious taxpayers; retired educator Gravis Ray Bibb who enjoys support from the medical community and local individuals; retired educator Rebecca “Becky” Robinson who is supported by local educators and cancer patients and their families; CPA Jesus Casas who is supported by certain publicly elected officials and local residents; retired educator and incumbent Board member J.M. “Chuco” Farias who enjoys support from the medical community and local individuals; Dr. Maria L. Forth who enjoys support from the medical community and local individuals; Dr. James Galizia who has support of local medical doctors; and Dr. David Land who enjoys support from medical doctors. This election is a toss up and your VOTE may decide which three candidates get elected.
Another contested election driving the voters is for Texas Senate District 19 between incumbent Democrat and former U.S. Marine and attorney Carlos I. Uresti of San Antonio, Texas and Republican challenger and retired Game Warden Peter P. Flores of Poteet, Texas. Senator Uresti has a large following in San Antonio and within the District 19 territory while Flores enjoys support from Republican and independent voters within the District 19 boundaries. Your VOTE may just decide who wins this election.
The Texas Fourth Court of Appeals based in San Antonio, Texas has one contested Justice position between Democrat and former Bexar County Court at Law Judge Irene Rios and appointed Republican Justice Jason Pulliam. Both served as Bexar County Judges. This Court of Appeals represents 32 counties, including Maverick County. You pick the winner with your VOTE.
Local uncontested elections include Texas State Representative District 74 Poncho Nevarez; 293rd Judicial District Attorney Roberto Serna; Maverick County Attorney Ricardo Ramos; Maverick County Tax-Assessor Collector Isamari S. Villarreal; Maverick County Commissioner for Precinct No. 1 Gerardo “Jerry” Morales; Maverick County Commissioner for Precinct No. 3 Pete Venegas; Maverick County Constable Precinct No. 1 Rudy Valdez; Maverick County Constable Precinct No. 2 J.S. “Chava” Rios; Maverick County Constable Precinct No. 3-1 Mario A. HERNANDEZ; Maverick County Constable Precinct No. 3-2 Samuel “Sam” Chacon; and Maverick County Constable Precinct No. 4 Jose Regalado, Jr.
The Texas State Board of Education District No. 1 position is contested end between Democrat Georgina Perez and Green Party candidate Hugo Noyola, Jr. Pick whomever you want for between the two candidates. VOTE now.
TODOS VAMOS A VOTAR!
