Palmview Council Place 3 candidates to face runoff on May

After a tough local municipal race, Council Place 1 elect reflects on what her next term could look like while Palmview Council Place 3 candidates prepare to compete for local runoffs on June 15. 

On May 4, 2024, local entities’ unofficial election results poured in. Despite a small turnout of over 1,200 voters, Palmview citizens settled on a candidate for Place 1, with Alexandra Flores beating her opponent, Eric Sanchez, by 62% at 747 votes.

Something Flores hopes to do is make herself readily available to constituents and community feedback in her next term.

“I do want to make myself a little bit more available,” she said, looking forward to her swearing-in ceremony after May 15 ballots are canvassed. “And I guess listen to the community ideas for growth. I know we can’t adopt everything that they give us…but it’s good to hear fresh perspectives.”

Flores continued.

“The community has experience in other areas that we don’t that we could explore and invite them to share…so we can probably put them into place.”

For Place 3 candidates Javier Ramirez and Esequiel ‘Zeke’ Ortiz, however, the two will head to run-offs after standing at a 9.11% difference between voters, the duo beating their third opponent, Maria Cristina Alanis.

Ramirez, who has served as a Palmview City Council Member since 2016, said he saw the run-off coming.

Ramirez was approximately 57 votes shy of getting his 51% mark and felt the results placed both candidates back at ground zero.

“I’m scared,” Ramirez said. “I spent all these past ten years doing all I can for my community.”

The incumbent spoke on his candidate, weary of Ortiz’s involvement as former Agua SUD board President, the organization facing a bribery and kickback scheme in 2021.

Ramirez therefore highlighted his extensive work with Palmview as a reason for his reelection.

“We’ve done so much after the past ten years under my leadership,” Ramirez said, speaking of his experience with the Palmview City Council. “Yes, I’ve disagreed with the council on some things, but you know, we live in a democracy. We don’t have to agree on everything but I think at the end of the day, if you really do the math, it’s been maybe like 95 or 98% of the things we’ve all agreed on.”

Ramirez also felt discouraged by the low voter turnout.

“People just seem to be tired,” he said. “I guess there’s just voter exhaustion. I don’t know if that’s a term.”

Ramirez ended his response by saying that he believes he can do a better job for Palmview, not wanting to lose this race.

“I’d hate to lose this way. It would not be good for the community,” he said. “Trust me. I just think that I could do a better job.”

Ortiz, who will be facing Ramirez on June 15, did not respond to the Progress Times’ request for an interview.