HARLINGEN — Hotly contested May 1 elections could shift the balance of power on the Harlingen and San Benito city commissions.
In Harlingen, three seats are on the line in one of the city’s hottest elections in years.
In the race for the District 3 seat, incumbent Michael Mezmar, a financial analyst, faces former City Commissioner Robert Leftwich, a real estate broker.
Meanwhile, District 4 Commissioner Ruben de la Rosa’s decision not to seek re-election has sparked a scramble in the race for his seat.
The ballot includes former City Commission Basilio “Chino” Sanchez, a retired newspaper production technician; Frank Morales, who’s semi-retired after working as a salesman; Xavier Jaramillo, who works for Valley Wide Sprinkler Systems; and Anselmo Aparicio Jr., a counter salesman.
Earlier this month, De la Rosa said he won’t seek re-election after deciding to move his family to a home in District 5.
In the race for the District 5 seat, incumbent Victor Leal, a businessman, faces Rene Perez, a school teacher.
San Benito election
In San Benito, two seats are up for grabs.
Four months after losing his bid for a second term as the city’s top elected official to Mayor Rick Guerra, former Mayor Ben Gomez, a school district parent educator, is shaking up the race for the commission’s Place 3 seat, facing incumbent Pete Galvan and Jesus Ernesto Loperena, a territory manager.
In the November election, Galvan, a pharmacist, won the unexpired term which Guerra left open after he resigned to run for the city’s top elected position.
In the race for the Place 4 seat, incumbent Carol Lynn Sanchez, an attorney, faces Victor Rosas, a retired firefighter and former San Benito school district trustee who serves on the city’s housing authority.
Background
In San Benito, the city is contracting the Cameron County elections department to run the election.
County officials estimate they’ll charge the city about $23,000, Elections Administrator Remi Garza said.
In Harlingen, the city will run its election.
Early voting will run from April 19 to 27.
