A former commissioner who challenged the mayor called for a recount in the runoff race Tuesday.
At Monday’s canvassing of the votes in the June 12 runoff elections, former Place 3 Commissioner Jesus “Jesse” Ramirez, who challenged Mayor Mario Garza, submitted a petition for a recount on the same day that Garza was scheduled to be sworn-in to office.
“I submitted it as soon as we approved the numbers,” Ramirez said Tuesday evening. “I submitted my petition for a recount. That was today. According to the secretary of state, I had to do it less than 48 hours after the canvassing of the votes.”
Ramirez lost his bid for mayor by a narrow margin of 33 votes, receiving 1,541 votes to Garza’s 1,574 votes.
“Since they had already scheduled the swearing-in, I had to do it today because if not, he would have been sworn-in again,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez said that he feels confident in his petition for a recount, explaining he won four out of the six precincts in the runoff elections.
“I’m very confident,” Ramirez said. “Even if it doesn’t change the outcome, I’m very confident in the process. I’m sure that at the end of the day— whatever the results are — I’m good with it.”
Garza said that he is also confident in the results of the recount, but added that Ramirez’s petition for a recount shows a lack of respect for the voters.
“The people of San Juan spoke, and they wanted to give me another four years in office,” Garza said Tuesday evening. “The sad thing about it is that Mr. Ramirez — basically he can’t accept the fact that he didn’t like the outcome, but most importantly, the lack of respect he has for the voters by doing that.”
The mayor said that he would continue his duties as mayor and take things day by day in the meantime.
“It is what it is,” Garza said. “We’re just going to continue going forward. I am the mayor, and I feel confident enough that I will continue being the mayor. It’s nothing that worries me. I’m good. I feel real confident. It’s business as usual.”
Ernesto “Neto” Guajardo and Adina “Dina” Santillan were both sworn-in to their respective seats on the San Juan city commission this evening.
