Early voting for the Place 3 runoff race begins Monday.
Educator Deanna “Coach” Dominguez and funeral director Juan “Johnny” Garcia are once again fighting for the seat that Councilman Homer Jasso Jr. will vacate following the Dec. 10 runoff election.
Dominguez and Garcia received the most votes in a four-way race earlier this month, sending them into a runoff. They beat Carlos Jasso and Marc Roque in the Nov. 5 election.
Dominguez received the most votes with 35% of ballots cast in her favor. Garcia held steady at 33%.
The winner of the runoff race will essentially decide the majority faction of the council.
Dominguez has aligned herself with Mayor Richard Molina, while Garcia is aligned with Councilman Gilbert Enriquez, who currently holds the majority.
After the election earlier this month changed the makeup of the board, Dominguez asked the council to forgo firing staff members until after the runoff election, but the council majority declined her request and terminated five officials, including city manager Juan Guerra. Guerra received a $250,000 severance package, which Dominguez decried.
Garcia, however, has remained silent on the firings.
The early voting period will last two weeks. Voters can cast their ballots Nov. 25-27 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Nov. 30 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Dec. 1-6 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
There will be three polling locations available throughout the early voting period and on Election Day, Dec. 10: the Hidalgo County Elections Annex, 317 N. Closner Blvd., the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, 1201 W. University Dr., and La Joya City Hall, 701 E. Exp. 83.
