There’s a new face coming to the Buda City Council, but both incumbents won their races in Kyle, according to election returns posted by Hays County.
Robert Rizo, incumbent in Kyle District 3, sailed to re-election with 60.9 percent of the vote (1,191 votes) compared to 39.91 percent (791) votes for challenger Amanda Stark.
In the District 1 race, Dex Ellison pulled off a win with 55.74 percent of the vote (1,102) compared to 44.26 percent (875 votes) for challenger Yvonne Flores-Cale.
In Buda, Terry Cummings was elected to represent single member District C with 63.73 percent of the vote (318 votes), while Jeffrey K. Morales garnered 36.27 percent (181 votes)
“it was a very difficult campaign for me. I appreciate my supporters that believed in me,” Ellison said. “I’m still processing. I’m wearing my heart on my sleeve. I just wish more people would get out to vote.”
Rizo did not return messages seeking a comment.
A banker, Ellison was a member of Kyle’s Planning and Zoning Commission when he was elected in November 2017 to District 1, which was formerly represented by Travis Mitchell, who won the mayor’s seat the same night. Ellison currently serves as mayor pro tem.
Rizo, a property management supervisor, was elected in May of this year to fill the unexpired term of former council member Shane Arabie. Rizo had first sought a council seat in 2017 but was disqualified from the race when it was discovered his home was just outside the city limits.
In Wimberley ISD on school board, former Hays County Commissioner Will Conley won the Place 4 seat on the Wimberley ISD Board of Trustees with 64.69 percent of the vote (2,510) compared by 35.31 percent (1,370 votes) for Suzanne White.
Only 13.5 percent (18,909) of the county’s 139,722 registered voters visited the polls. Check haysfreepress.com for other election returns including the statewide vote on the 10 proposed Constitutional amendments.
