Voters will cast votes this Saturday, May 12, in the statewide constitutional amendment election and also several local school board and city elections.

Several local candidates for office are running unopposed in the county, but a few official seats are contested and will be decided.

The race over at the Runge school board will be between place four’s incumbent Felix Zapata and former city council member Eloy Nunez. Place one’s Zachary Yanta and place seven’s Robert Molina are running unopposed.

Mayor Homer Lott, Jr. will see opposition in the upcoming election, also. Former city council member Edelia Ramirez will challenge him for the mayoral seat while incumbent city council member Irma Ortiz is running unopposed. Also running unopposed, newcomer Tony Castillo will take Nunez’s place on the council.

In Kenedy, Kenedy ISD place one incumbent Velma Garza will be challenged by Gino Garcia. Place seven will see the retirement of Dwain Groff. Jimmy Burns is running unopposed in his place.

On the city council in Kenedy, all three candidates are running unopposed. Ken Reiley will keep his seat on the council along with Bob Patton. Lionel Garcia, Jr. is running unopposed in Joseph Castillo’s seat.

None of the politicians in Falls City have opposition. Patrick Jarzombek and Edward Bordovsky will retain their seats on the school board. Mayor Vi Malone and council member Gery Jendrusch will keep their spots on the city’s governing body. Council member Ralph Bollman’s seat will go to newcomer John Melton, Jr.

Voters will also decide whether or not to approve a constitutional amendment in Saturday’s election.

The proposed amendment would extend property tax relief to senior citizens and the disabled whose taxes are frozen. That relief was granted to other property owners last year as part of school finance reform. If passed, those affected could pay less in property taxes.
The actual wording on the ballot reads, for or against:

"The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for a reduction of the limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that may be imposed for public school purposes on the residence homesteads of the elderly or disabled to reflect any reduction in the rate of those taxes for the 2006 and 2007 tax years."

Voting for the Kenedy ISD election will be held at City Hall in Kenedy from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Voting for the Runge ISD election and also the City of Runge election will be at the VFW Hall in Runge from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Local precincts will be combined for the Constitutional Amendment Election.

Pcts. 1 (courthouse), 2 (Panna Maria), 8 (Helena), 12 (City Hall, Karnes City) and 13 (Coy City) will all vote at the county courthouse in Karnes City.

Pct. 3 (Gillett) will vote at the Gillett Baptist Church.

Pcts. 4 (City Hall, Kenedy), 9 (Choate), 11 (Lutheran Church, Kenedy), 14 (Catholic Church, Kenedy) and 15 (Mexican Baptist, Kenedy) will all vote at City Hall in Kenedy.

Pct. 5 (VFW Hall, Runge) will vote at the Runge VFW Hall.

Pcts. 6 (CCD Building, Cestohowa), 7 (Falls City) and 10 (Hobson Parish Hall) will all vote at the CCD Building next to the hall in Falls City.

Election results will be posted at www.thecountywide.com as soon as they become available.