January 17, 2019 600 AM
PRESIDIO, BREWSTER counties – The candidate filing window opened Wednesday for the Saturday, May 4 city council and school board elections in the area. Candidates have until 5pm Friday, February 15 to sign up for office. Applications are available at the respective offices for cities and schools.
CITY OF PRESIDIO
The posts of Mayor John Ferguson and council members Isela Nuñez and Victor Hernandez are up for election this year. Nuñez resigned from the council this week, so that will be an open seat. It was unclear at press time if the council would appoint someone to fill the vacant post. Regardless, whoever is appointed would has to seek office in May. Both mayoral and council terms are for two years, and the top two vote-getters in the council race, who are elected at large, will take office.
PRESIDIO ISD
School board President Ethel Barriga and fellow trustees Yvonne Spencer and Hugo Ramos are up for re-election this year. Spencer was appointed to the post following the resignation of Carlos Nieto, who has pleaded guilty to a public corruption charge. Trustees are elected at large, and the top three vote-getters in the race will take office. Presidio school board members serve four-year terms.
CITY OF MARFA
Positions up for election are currently held by Mayor Anne Marie Nafziger and council members Brit Webb and Irma Salgado. In 2016, Nafziger swept the mayoral election with 336 of the 536 votes casted for candidates of the position. Previous city council member and former Mayor Genevieve Bassham fell behind Nafziger garnering 115 votes, just three votes ahead of candidate Lineaus Hooper Lorette. Salgado and Webb earned their posts, with 275 and 232 votes, respectively, out of a staggering 992 votes cast. City elections are non-partisan, and applicants need only specify which place they seek to be on the ballot, mayor or council. Both positions consist of two-year terms and in council races with a field of candidates, the top two vote-getters will take office this year.
MARFA ISD
Three school board members are up for re-election this year: Mark Cash, place 5; a vacant (at the moment) place 6, held by former trustee Frank “Buddy” Knight, now a Presidio County commissioner; and Teresa Villarreal Nuñez, place 7. Terms are for three years, and trustees run by place but are elected at-large.
CITY OF ALPINE
As with every odd year, three city positions are up grabs this cycle. Council members in Wards 1, 3 and 5 – currently held by Maria Curry, Jim Fitzgerald, and Rick Stephens, respectively. Applicants must live in the ward represented and candidates can file ballot applications with City of Alpine secretary, Cynthia Salas at Alpine City Hall. No fee is required to apply, however, candidates must appoint a treasurer and report campaign contributions to the state of Texas. For questions or concerns regarding the candidate application packet and process, contact Salas at 432-837-3301.
ALPINE ISD
Two board positions will be open for election this cycle; Single Member District 5, currently held by Justin Cross, and Single Member District 7, currently held by Mary McCallister. Candidates should file a ballot application with Secretary to the Superintendent Marsha Roach at the Alpine ISD administration building located at 704 West Sul Ross Ave. There is no fee required to apply, however, candidates must appoint a treasurer and report campaign contributions to the state. For any and all filing packet inquiries, instructions, forms and details about the application process, please contact Roach at 432-837-7700, option 4.
