Judge orders Progreso to hold City Council election

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The city of Progreso must hold a City Council election in November, a judge ruled on Tuesday.

During a hearing on Tuesday morning, state District Judge Joel Johnson ordered Progreso to place three City Council positions — Place 1, Place 3 and Place 5 — on the November ballot.

“We’re really happy and excited,” said Mayor Hugo Gamboa.

While the judge’s ruling allows Progreso to hold a City Council election, many questions remain unresolved.

At some point during the past decade, city administrators lost track of Progreso’s election cycle.

Members of the City Council are supposed to serve three-year terms, according to the city charter, which voters approved in May 2010.

Some members of the City Council, though, ran for re-election after just two years. Others never ran for re-election.

As a result, it remains unclear when each City Council term starts and ends.

The City Council discussed the situation in August, but members couldn’t agree on how to fix the problem.

Gamboa, City Councilwoman Sandra V. Estrada and City Councilman Raul Flores voted to put Place 1, Place 3 and Place 5 on the ballot.

City Councilman Raul Martinez, City Councilman Ruben Abundiz and City Councilman Javier Morales agreed that Progreso needed to hold an election but had questions about the details. They voted against the motion.

With the City Council deadlocked, Gamboa filed a lawsuit against the city.

Gamboa asked Johnson to order Progreso to hold an election for Place 1, Place 3 and Place 5.

Place 1 is held by City Councilman Raul Flores. He was appointed in April to fill a vacant position.

Place 3 is held by City Councilman Javier Morales. He ran unopposed in 2019 and never ran for re-election.

Place 5 is held by City Councilman Raul Martinez. He resigned to run for mayor in June. Under state law, Martinez remains on the City Council until his replacement is sworn in.

Attorney Baltazar Salazar of Houston, who represents Gamboa, argued the case Tuesday morning. Nobody showed up to represent the city.

City Attorney Javier Villalobos said he’d been told some of the defendants hadn’t actually been served. Johnson, however, said a process server had submitted the proper paperwork.

After just 30 minutes of testimony, Johnson ordered Progreso to hold an election for Place 1, Place 3 and Place 5.

Candidates for City Council must submit applications by 4 p.m. Friday.

Check back for updates.