EL PASO, Texas — Three members of the El Paso City Council will have to win again next month after falling short of a majority Tuesday, while a fourth incumbent cruised to a new term.
In District 1, which takes in the Westside and Upper Valley, Alejandra Chávez led a four-way field with 47%. Sam Armijo, 87, a former nuclear scientist, claimed the second runoff slot with 19.9%, finishing just 65 votes ahead of defense attorney Matthew James Kozik. Chávez won the seat in a 2024 special election and is seeking her first full term.
District 6 incumbent Art Fierro, 64, drew 34% and will meet Jesse Moreno, 25, a former council staffer who took 27%. His district includes most of the 79936 ZIP code and the neighborhoods near Marty Robbins Park.
In District 8, where five candidates ran in a district spanning downtown and part of the West Side, Chris Canales finished first with 34% and will face nonprofit executive Matthew Guzman, who had 25%. The two split sharply on the proposed Downtown deck plaza over Interstate 10, which Canales views with more skepticism. Guzman has made housing costs and taxes his main issue.
On the Far Eastside, District 5 Rep. Ivan Niño, 35, avoided a runoff by taking 69% against political organizer Richard Genera.
Challengers across the races pressed incumbents on rising property taxes and the Meta data center being built in Northeast El Paso, and housing affordability came up throughout the campaign. Niño raised $43,450 from July through late October, far more than the $2,113 Genera brought in.
The runoff is expected Saturday, Dec. 12. Council members are nonpartisan, earn $72,800 a year and set the city budget and tax rate.
Section: More El Paso TX politics news
Filed under: El Paso TX Politics News
