By Edmond Ortiz
Marissa-Ellen Patterson and Summer Marie Brown, both political newcomers, won runoff elections for Cibolo City Council on Dec. 13.
Meanwhile, Schertz voters will have one more election before Christmas to decide who replaces a City Council member who recently died.
What you should know
Patterson, a U.S. Defense Department operations research analyst, received 53% of the vote to claim the Place 3 council seat in one runoff election. She beat Maria Fishback, a local planning and zoning commission member.
Patterson had focused her campaign on issues such as smart, sustainable growth, improving infrastructure and road safety, and strengthening community engagement.
Brown, a human resources professional and a U.S. Army veteran, collected nearly 70% of the vote to claim the Place 7 at-large council post. She beat out Shari McDaniel, a veteran marketing and sales professional who has been serving with multiple city commissions and boards. Brown was also a previous mayoral candidate.
Brown’s campaign prioritized issues such as smart growth, and maintaining quality parks, community services, infrastructure and public safety.
“Thank you so much. It’s time to get to work. I love my city,” Brown said on her Facebook campaign page.
Cibolo recorded a total voter turnout of 3.25% in the two runoff elections. Patterson and Brown join a City Council that is now led by Mayor Kara Latimer, who won her race in the Nov. 4 election, and that includes returning Place 2 incumbent Randy Roberts.
Schertz special election up next
The local election season is not quite done yet. Schertz will hold a special election Dec. 20 to fill the remaining term of office for City Council Place 7; the post’s last occupant, Tim Brown, died in October. The current Place 7 term expires in November 2027.
The contestants for the Place 7 seat are: Kristy Barger, operations manager and co-founder of the Barger Law Firm; Tony Diaz, a retired division manager for a military contractor and a frequent community volunteer; John Carbon, a U.S. Air Force veteran and a planning and zoning commissioner; Dr. Robert Sheridan, a retired Air Force and a parks and recreation commissioner; and Dan Swart, a retired certified public accountant and former member of the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District board.
Early voting continues 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 15 and 16 at the Guadalupe County Annex in Schertz, 1103 Elbel Road, and at the Guadalupe County Elections Office in Seguin at 3251 N. Hwy. 123. According to county elections officials, 303 voters had cast a ballot during early voting through Dec. 12.
On Election Day, Dec. 20, Schertz voters may cast a ballot between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the Schertz county annex.
