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Monday is the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 5 general election, with Cameron County voters set to make choices in local, state and national races as the U.S. presidential election drives turnout.
In the last presidential election in 2020, voter turnout was a record 53% among more than 218,000 registered voters. Remi Garza the county’s elections administrator, said that as of Thursday, registrations stood at 237,577.
Early voting runs from Oct. 21 through Nov. 1.
“A lot more people are eligible to participate, and we’ll see turnout above 50% like we did in 2020,” Garza predicted.
“I do think the county offices that are on the ballot are going to be generating interest, but the driver will always be the presidential race,” Garza said, adding that city commission races are on the ballot in Harlingen, as well as charter amendments there and in San Benito.
“The dynamic we were expecting in June has changed,” Garza added, with Vice President Kamala Harris now topping the Democratic ticket, challenged by former president Donald Trump. “We’re now expecting a lot more participation in the county.”
In the Texas U.S. Senate race, voters will choose between Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and challenger Colin Allred, a U.S. House member from Dallas, who is a former Baylor University and NFL player with Rio Grande Valley ties.
In U.S. House District 34, Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Brownsville, faces Republican Mayra Flores, who was appointed and briefly served after former Brownsville congressman Filemon Vela resigned. Gonzalez defeated Flores in 2022 and will defend the seat this year.
Gonzalez previously represented McAllen-based U.S. House District 15.
Meanwhile, Texas state Sen. Morgan LaMantia, D-South Padre Island, faces challenges from Republican Adam Hinojosa, who ran in 2020, and Robin Lee Vargas of the Green Party.
For District 37 in the Texas House of Representatives, state Rep. Janie Lopez, R-San Benito, is being challenged by Democrat Johnathan Gracia of Brownsville.
Cameron County offices
For sheriff, Republican Santiago “Jimmy” Manrique faces Democrat Manuel “Manny” Trevino.
For County Assessor-Collector, Jesus “Rami” Martinez, the Republican candidate, faces Democrat Eddie Garcia, a former Brownsville Independent School District trustee.
In the Constable Pct. 1 race, Republican Norman Esquivel, Jr. faces Democrat Ronnie Moore.
Harlingen City Commission
In the city’s first regular November election, eight candidates, including two former commissioners, are taking on incumbents in Districts 3, 4 and 5.
In District 3, Commissioner Michael Mezmar, a financial advisor who first won office in 2012, is facing Jennifer Vasquez Colten, who works as the Texas State Technical College Foundation’s executive director of advancement operations; Frank Lozano, an attorney; and Steve Ritter, a pilot.
In District 4, Commissioner Frank Morales, a semi-retired salesman bidding for a second term, is facing Dagoberto Pena, an investigator with the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office; Basilio “Chino” Sanchez, a retired newspaper production technician who served as a commissioner from 2012 to 2015; and B.T. Vargas, a business owner.
In District 5, Commissioner Rene Perez, a schoolteacher who serves as the city’s mayor pro-tem, is bidding for a second term. He’s facing former Commissioner Ruben De La Rosa, a Texas Southmost College instructor who served as a commissioner from 2015 to 2021; and Nikki Alvarez Danielle, who is a reserve deputy constable with the Cameron County Constable Precinct 5.
