Staff Report
HAYS COUNTY — The municipal filing deadline occurred Monday. Aug. 17, for the upcoming Nov. 3 election. Now, residents can begin determining who they want to represent them in the coming years.
Hays County
The county will see several new faces in prominent seats come the Nov. 3 election, including Hays County judge.
Current Hays County commissioner Michelle Cohen won the democratic seat in a runoff in May against incumbent Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra. She will now face Republican Geoffrey Tahuahua, who currently serves as a Dripping Springs City Council member. Additionally, Independent candidate Elizabeth Gajdos Potolicchio stated publicly that she has filed for a spot on the ballot, though the Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch was unable to confirm her candidacy with the elections office.
The Hays County district attorney race also has an Independent, Kirsta Melton, who will run against Democratic nominee Alfonso Salazar. There is no Republican candidate.
Furthermore, several races are unopposed* in the county, though they may still appear on the ballot.
• Hays County Judge — four years
- Michelle Gutierrez Cohen (D)
- Geoffrey Tahuahua (R)
- Elizabeth Gajdos Potolicchio (I)
• Precinct 2 commissioner — four years
- Johnny Flores (D)
- Abby Gibson (R)
• Precinct 4 commissioner — four years
- Angie Under (D)
- Rob McClelland (R)
• District Attorney — four years
- Kirsta Melton (I)
- Alfonso Salazar (D)
• District Clerk — four years*
- Amanda K. Calvert (D), incumbent
• Hays County Clerk — four years*
- Cynthia A. Millonzi (D)
• County Treasurer — four years*
- Daphne Sanchez-Tenorio (D), incumbent
• 428th District Judge — four years
- Cassie Benoit-Templeton (D)
- Paul Still (R)
• 207th District Judge — four years*
- Tracie Wright Reneau (R), incumbent
• 274th District Judge — four years*
- Gary L. Steel (R), incumbent
• County Court-at-Law #1 — four years*
- Jimmy Alan Hall (D)
• County Court-at-Law #2 — four years
- Chris Johnson (D), incumbent
- Charmaine Wilde (R)
• Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Place 2 — four years*
- Maggie Hernandez Moreno (D), incumbent
• Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2, Place 1 — four years
- Beth Smith (D), incumbent
- Janie Flores (R)
• Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3 — four years*
- Joseph Jamieson (R)
• Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4 — four years*
- John Burns (R)
The Hays Central Appraisal District is also slated to hold a general election, though Chief Appraiser Laura Raven stated that no applicants or write-ins were received. Because of this, the election will be canceled and, in accordance with the tax code, the current board of directors will have to appoint the members. She noted that this is a new experience, as this is only the second — and first general — election after the board was reorganized in 2024, so Hays CAD is leaning on the Texas Secretary of State to guide them.
After the members are appointed, they will draw for term lengths Jan. 1, 2027, with one receiving a two-year term and two receiving four-year terms.
Buda
• Mayor — three years
- Lee Urbanovsky, incumbent
• Council member, At-Large Position 2 — three years
- Monica Davidson, incumbent
• Council member, Single Member District B — three years
- Irving Davis
- Jessica Clayton
The current council member in the Single Member District B seat, Evan Ture, is not running for election.
Buda will also hold a special election for a one-year term, following the resignation of council member Matt Smith. Joshua Edmond, George M. Torres Jr. and Jessica “Jess Ebee” Ebisch have filed for the At-Large Position 1 seat.
Kyle
Three positions on Kyle City Council are up for election. The mayoral and District 2 seats will be for a full, three-year term, following one-year special elections in 2025.
• Mayor — three years
- Yvonne Flores-Cale, incumbent
- Donny Wills
- Robert Rizo
• Council member, District 2 — three years
- Melisa Medina, incumbent
- Miguel Zuniga
• Council member, District 4 — three years
- Leah Kaufman
- Spencer Copeland
- Kenneth Rocha
Council member Lauralee Harris is not running for reelection for the District 4 seat.
Mountain City
According to city secretary Andrea Wells, Mountain City plans to cancel the election at the city council meeting Monday, Sept. 14, due to uncontested races. Mayor Ralph McClendon will resume his role, along with Alderman At-Large Laura Craig for another two years. Candidate Darryl Jamail will be sworn in at the first council meeting after the election, as Alderman David Wiley did not run for reelection.
Niederwald
The Niederwald election is set to be cancelled at its Sept. 1 city council meeting, as the two-year terms for mayor and two council seats are unopposed.
The mayoral seat was vacant, but council appointed Art Reyes, the sole applicant, to the position at the Aug. 19 meeting, according to the city secretary.
Incumbents Ernesto Madrigal and Emily Iverson will fill the two council member seats.
San Marcos
Instead of running for reelection, Mayor Jane Hughson will step down from her role as mayor and filed for the City Council, Place 3 seat. As a result, City Council, Place 6 member Amanda Rodriguez announced her candidacy for mayor, with a special election for a one-year term to be held for her seat.
General Election
• Mayor — two years
- Michael Ryan Thomason
- Amanda Rodriguez
• City Council, Place 3 — three years
- Alyssa Garza, incumbent
- Jane Hughson
• City Council, Place 4 — three years
- Shane Scott, incumbent
- Heather Hunter
Special Election
• City Council, Place 6 — one year
- Juan Miguel Arredondo
- Lisa Prewitt
Christopher Polanco withdrew his mayoral application, while Bill Miller withdrew both his application for mayor and for city council place 6.
Village of Bear Creek
Mayor Mark Bohm did not file for reelection, leaving Nick Moore as the sole candidate for the two-year term. Additionally, there will be an election for two city commissioner positions, which are presently held by Al Brushwood and Trent Brackenridge.
• City commissioners — two years
- Trent Brackenridge, incumbent
- Barbara Stinson
- Justin Cofield
- David Prindle
Woodcreek
According to city secretary Kari Lebkeucher, “The city of Woodcreek had quite a different process this year with only one candidate filing prior to the Aug. 17 deadline for a place on the ballot. All other candidates filed for write-in candidacy, with the deadline being Aug. 21 at 5 p.m.”
The following candidates applied for the three at- large city council positions with two year terms:
Ballot:
- Jeff Rasco, incumbent
Write-in candidate sheet names in order as drawn:
- Kyle Savage
- Judy Brizendine
- Betty Burnett
- Tina Lingren
For more information on the upcoming elections, visit the respective municipality websites or www.hayscountytx.gov/172/Elections.
