Supreme Court of Texas sets due dates for Mission Election Trial

This article originally appeared in the Friday Sept. 6, 2019 issue of the Progress Times.

The results of the Mission election trial may not be determined until some time in 2020.

Attorneys for former Mission Mayor Norberto “Beto” Salinas filed a petition to the Supreme Court of Texas in order to review their appeal of the decision made by the 13th Court of Appeals.

Last year, Salinas and current Mayor Armando O’caña ran for the mayoral seat, which lead to a runoff election in June 2018. After 20 years in office, Salinas lost to O’caña, who served on the city council at the time.

Salinas filed an election contest to challenge the results, resulting in a nine-day trial where the O’caña family was accused of bribery and illegally assisting voters. Judge J. Bonner Dorsey ruled in favor of Salinas and voided the runoff election.

The decision was appealed in the 13th court soon after, and this time justices ruled that there was not enough sufficient evidence and reversed the trial court ruling.

The petitioners must file their brief to the Supreme Court of Texas by Sept. 30, 2019. Respondents must file a response brief by Oct. 21, 2019 and petitioners must file a response to that brief by Nov. 5, 2019.