Marfa
While last year’s Marfa City Council elections were canceled after no challengers filed against incumbents Mayor Manny Baeza, Mayor Pro Tem Raul Lara and Councilmember Travis Acreman, this year is a different story with four challengers facing three incumbents. The deadline for filing for the May 2 election was Friday, February 13.
Marfa’s elections are run by plurality, meaning the all seats are at large and the top three vote getters are elected to three seats. All seats carry two-year terms.
Incumbents up for the May election are Mark Cash, Mark Morrison and Eddie Pallarez. Challengers are Christopher Johnson, Emily Kolb, Katy Kowal and Sal Tornabene. Johnson is a microbiologist; Kolb runs Mutual Friends Marfa, a coffee shop; Kowal is a baker with Dirty Water Bagels; and Tornabene runs Raba Marfa, a vintage store.
Big Bend Sentinel will be covering the race more closely with more detailed profiles of the candidates—particularly on the issue of rezoning land for a new AEP power substation, which will come to council for a vote this year. It’s uncertain if new council members would change any dynamic in support or opposition to the rezoning.