William “Billy” Davis Re-Elected, Mario E. Garcia Elected, and City Charter Amendment Passes in Eagle Pass, Texas May 6, 2023 Election
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2023
In a low voter turnout election, Eagle Pass City Councilman William “Billy” Davis easily won re-election to another four year term for City Council Place 1, political newcomer Mario E. Garcia bested a crowded field of four candidates to win election to City Council Place 3, and the City Charter Amendment clarifying term limits for City Council and Mayor overwhelmingly passed in the City of Eagle Pass Election held on May 6, 2023.
Only 1,424 Eagle Passans cast a ballot in the May 6, 2023 Election out of over 18,000 registered voters, that is, a dismal 7.9% voter participation rate.
Incumbent City Councilman Place 1 William “Billy” Davis handily swept his competition, garnering 1,038 votes (75%) compared to Sandy Sassano’s 263 votes (19%), and Mariano Flores’s 83 votes (6%). A total of 1,384 votes out of 1,424 votes cast in the May 6 Election expressed their vote for City Council Place 1 position, leaving 40 voters who did not cast a vote in the City Council Place 1 election.
Political newcomer Mario E. Garcia defeated three opponents in a crowded field of four to win election to the City Council Place 3 position without going to a run-off election, receiving a total of 826 votes (59%) compared to Ana Laura Herrera’s 213 votes (15.21%), Ricardo Lopez’s 209 votes (14.93%), and Ruben J. Camarillo’s 152 votes (10.86%). A total of 1,400 ballots were cast in the City Council Place 3 election out of a total of 1,424 votes registered in the May 6 Election, missing 24 votes not cast for any candidate.
The City Charter Amendment clarifying term limits for City Council and Mayor positions passed with an overwhelming 896 votes (73.93%) compared to 316 votes against (26.07). A total of 1,212 ballots were cast in the City Charter Amendment election out of a total of 1,424 overall votes cast in the May 6 election, leaving 212 voters who did not vote in the City Charter Amendment proposition election.
Davis and Garcia will be sworn-in as City Council Place 1 and 3 members at an Eagle Pass City Council special meeting scheduled on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at 5:30 p.m. after the City Council canvasses and approves the May 6 Election results.
Following the swearing-in of Davis and Garcia, the Eagle Pass City Council will vote on the election of a new Mayor Pro-Tem, which will also be sworn-in at the May 11 City Council special meeting.
Outgoing City Council Place 3 member and Mayor Pro-Tem Yolanda P. Ramon will receive recognition for her years of dedicated service as a City Council member at the May 11 special meeting. Ramon’s service on the City Council was ended by term limits, serving two terms of four years each for a total of eight years.
Davis and Garcia will join Eagle Pass City Council members Rolando Salinas, Jr. (Mayor), Elias Diaz, and Monica J. Cruz as the new City Council until the next municipal election.
