Four El Paso city representatives will face challengers in the Nov. 3 general election with races in Downtown, the Westside and Eastside districts on the ballot following Monday’s filing deadline.
Winners will face consequential financial decisions on the City Council in the coming years, including how to pay for rising city costs, expand the commercial tax base to help reduce the tax burden on homeowners, absorb millions in additional spending on future budgets under new police union contracts, and much more.
The incumbents will also face voters following contentious actions and divisions at City Hall, including the controversial Meta data center incentive agreement and the expected adoption Tuesday of the voter-approval tax rate – the highest rate the city can approve without an election.
The positions now held by city Reps. Chris Canales in District 8, Alejandra Chávez in District 1, Art Fierro in District 6 and Ivan Niño in District 5 will be on the ballot as the four-year terms for those districts expire Dec. 31. Chávez and Niño were elected in December 2024 to fill unexpired terms vacated by former city Reps. Brian Kennedy and Isabel Salcido, both of whom resigned to run for mayor.
The November ballot will be crowded as El Paso voters will decide other local races and propositions, including congressional seats in Districts 16 and 23; state representative seats; county judge and commissioners; and school tax ratification proposals. Numerous uncontested races will also appear on the ballot, including judgeships, justices of the peace, and county and district clerk. The midterms will also see hotly contested state races, including for the positions of governor and U.S. Senate for Texas.
Here are the El Paso city candidates who filed to run for office. If you’re not sure what city district you live, you can search by address using this interactive map.
District 1:
- Alejandra Chávez, incumbent, former restaurant owner
- Sam Armijo, former District 1 candidate, nuclear power consultant
- Matthew James Kozic, political newcomer, criminal defense attorney
- Daniela Garcia, administrative assistant
District 5:
- Ivan Niño, incumbent, former chief of staff for Salcido
- Jacqueline Horn, homemaker, political newcomer
- Richard Genera, former District 5 candidate, bank teller
District 6:
- Art Fierro, incumbent, former state legislator
- Claudia Contreras Siller, care provider
- Pedro Fernandez Jr., independent delivery contractor
- Jesus Moreno, legislative aide for city Rep. Deanna Maldonado-Rocha
- Hector Omar Alva “Alba,” photographer
District 8:
- Chris Canales, incumbent, former chief of staff for former city Rep. Cissy Lizarraga
- Arturo Alluin, political newcomer, restaurant owner
- Laura Ochoa-Todd, retired, business sector/real estate, political newcomer
- Johnny J. Gonzalez, retired, political newcomer
- Matthew Guzman, executive director, Mary L. Peyton and Foundation; board secretary, Downtown Deck Plaza Foundation
Key dates ahead of the Nov. 3 general election:
- Deadline to register to vote: Monday, Oct. 5
- Early voting: Monday, Oct. 19-Friday, Oct. 30
- Deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot: Friday, Oct. 23
City Council representatives will be paid $72,800 annually beginning Sept. 1 based on the City Charter – the city’s governing document.
The City Council is tasked with recommending city policies and ordinances, adopting the annual city budget and tax rate, and with hiring or firing the city manager, city attorney and chief internal auditor.
The winners of the November election – or the December runoffs if no one candidate receives more than 50% of the votes Nov. 3 – will take office in January and serve a four-year term. City elected officials can serve two four-year terms. Districts 2, 3, 4 and 7 and the mayor’s seat will be up for election in November 2028.
The post Four El Paso City Council races are on the November ballot. Here’s who’s running appeared first on El Paso Matters.
Read: Read More