HARLINGEN — Voters go to the polls today in an election in which Mayor Chris Boswell faces three challengers.
The only contested race for Harlingen City Commission is in District 2. It will be rematch of two opponents who faced each other in 2013 when Commissioner Tudor Uhlhorn took 59 percent of the vote against former commissioner Frank Puente, who had 41 percent.
Boswell, who is running for his fourth term as mayor, faces former City Commissioner Jerry Prepejchal, retired police Lt. Joe Rubio and businessman Kenneth Benton.
Boswell, 57, an attorney who served as city commissioner from 1998 to 2007, amassed more than $29,000 in political contributions to crushingly overspend his opponents.
Boswell said he is running on his record of economic development and job creation.
Prepejchal, a retired single copy sales manager for The Brownsville Herald, served as District 4’s city commissioner from 2009 to 2012.
Calling himself a voice of the people, Prepejchal vowed to help boost small businesses and work to improve the city’s workforce to help draw industry to town.
Rubio, 55, a private investigator who retired as a police lieutenant in 2001, lost to Boswell in 2010.
If elected, Rubio said he would evaluate the city’s funding and staffing, call for an audit to prevent theft and seek more public input into decision-making.
Benton, 63, owner of NorCAM Community Development, lost to Boswell in 2007.
Benton called for an economic development strategy surrounding the aerospace, aeronautics and the biofuel industries.
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Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Here are Harlingen’s voting locations:
– District 1: Long Elem. School, 2601 N. 7th St., Pcts.: 56, and Parts of 39, 57, 78, 84 & 87
– District 2: Bonham Elem. School, 2400 E. Jefferson St., Pcts.: 31 & 32
– District 2: Zavala Elem. School, 1111 N. “B” St., Pcts.: 33, 35 & 42
– District 3: Treasure Hills Elem. School, 2525 Haine Drive, Pcts.: 30, 79, & Parts of 23, 25, 34, 43, & 44
– District 4: Bowie Elem. School, 309 W. Lincoln St., Pcts.: 41, 103, & 104
– District 4: Jefferson Elem. School, 601 S. “J” Street, Pcts.: Parts of 39 & 78
– District 5: Stuart Place Elem. School, 6701 W. Bus. Hwy. 83, Pcts.: 36, & Parts of 26, 28, 29, 39, 58, 64, 80, & 85
– District 5: Ben Milam Elem. School, 1215 Rangerville Road, Part of Pct. 43
