What to know ahead of May 28 primary runoff as early voting gets underway in El Paso

Adam Powell, El Paso Times
Updated ·5 min read

El Paso voters are heading to the polls this week as early voting in Texas is underway for the primary runoff election.

Voters are weighing in on several key races, including El Paso County sheriff and district attorney, as well as Precinct 1 constable and the highly competitive Texas House District 77 race. Also on the runoff ballot is the U.S. House District 23 seat, the only Republican contest left to be decided.

Winners in the sheriff and district attorney's Democratic primary runoffs will advance to the Nov. 5 General Election to face their Republican counterparts, while winners in the constable and District 77 races will effectively win election as there are no Republican contenders to take on in November.

More: Meet the El Paso candidates: May 28 runoff election winners will be on November ballot

The winner of the U.S. House District 23 runoff between incumbent Rep. Tony Gonzales and online conservative personality Brandon Herrera will face Democrat Santos Limon in November.

After five days of early voting, over 14,000 of El Paso's 507,865 registered voters have cast ballots, with Democratic voters widely outpacing Republican voters.

How long is early voting?

Early voting for the primary runoff kicked off Monday, May 20, and runs through Friday, May 24, 2024.

Polls are open daily during the early voting sessions from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

When is the runoff election?

Election Day will be Tuesday, May 28, with polls open across the city from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Where can I vote?

Early voting locations for the primary runoff are as follows:

  • Enrique Moreno County Courthouse - 500 E. San Antonio Avenue

  • Arlington Park Shelter - 10350 Pasadena Circle

  • Bassett Place - 6101 Gateway West

  • Bowling Family YMCA - 5509 Will Ruth Avenue

  • Canutillo Nutrition Center - 7351 Bosque Road

  • Chayo Apodaca Community Center - 341 N. Moon Road

  • City of San Elizario Municipal Court - 12004 Socorro Road, Suite B

  • Clint ISD Early College Academy - 13100 Alameda Avenue

  • Commissioner's Corner - 10700 Montana Avenue

  • Dorris Van Doren Library - 551 Redd Road

  • El Paso County Eastside Annex - 2350 George Dieter Drive

  • El Paso County Northwest Annex - 435 Vinton Road

  • EPCC Administrative Services Center - 9050 Viscount Boulevard

  • Esperanza Acosta Moreno Library - 12480 Pebble Hills Boulevard

  • Fabens Community Center - 201 NE Camp Street

  • Gary Del Palacio Recreation Center - 3001 Parkwood Street

  • Gonzalez Place - 4101 Rich Beem Boulevard

  • Hilo de Plata Senior Center - 4451 Delta Drive

  • Marty Robbins Recreation Center - 11620 Vista Del Sol Drive

  • Mountain View-Rae Gilmore Recreation Center - 8501 Diana Dr.

  • Nations Tobin Sports Center - 8831 Railroad Drive

  • Officer David Ortiz Recreation Center - 563 N. Carolina Drive

  • Oz Glaze Senior Center - 13969 Veny Webb Street

  • Pebble Hills High School - 14400 Pebble Hills Boulevard

  • SISD District Service Center - 12440 Rojas Drive (replace Eastlake High School)

  • South El Paso Senior Center - 600 S. Ochoa Street

  • The Shoppes at Solana - 750 Sunland Park Drive

  • UTEP-Union Building East - 35 W. University Avenue

  • Wellington Chew Senior Center - 4430 Maxwell Avenue

  • W.E. Neill Community Center - 19210 Cobb Avenue

  • Ysleta Community Learning Center - 121 Padres Drive

  • YWCA-West - 313 Bartlett Drive

Who's on the ballot?

The runoff ballot will feature five races, including Democratic candidates for El Paso County sheriff and district attorney, Texas House District 77 and Precinct 1 constable, as well as Republican candidates for U.S. House District 23.

The candidates appearing on the runoff advanced after besting other opponents in the March 5 Super Tuesday contest.

In the El Paso County sheriff's race, Constable Oscar Ugarte will go up against retired El Paso County Sheriff's Office Assistant Chief Robert "Bobby" Flores. The winner will face Republican Minerva Torres Shelton in the General Election.

The district attorney's race will feature James Montoya, currently a deputy public defender for the county, and Alma Trejo, a former El Paso County Criminal Court judge. The winner will face off against current District Attorney Bill Hicks, a Republican, in November.

The District 77 race features former state Rep. Norma Chavez and former El Paso County Commissioner Vince Perez. With no Republican opposition, the winner of the District 77 runoff will appear unopposed on the November 5 ballot.

More: Norma Chavez, Vince Perez shift focus to Texas House District 77 runoff after Texas primary

In the Precinct 1 constable race, Frank Almada will face off against Andrea "Andi" Baca. Like the District 77 race, there is no Republican contender in the Precinct 1 constable race, so the winner will be the next constable.

Early voting totals for Friday, May 24

  • Democratic Party in-person voting: 3,194

  • Democratic Party mail-in ballots returned: 0

  • Total Democratic Party votes for Day 5: 3,194

  • Republican Party in-person voting: 106

  • Republican Party mail-in ballots returned: 0

  • Total Republican Party votes for Day 5: 106

Early voting totals for Thursday, May 23

  • Democratic Party in-person voting: 2,309

  • Democratic Party mail-in ballots returned: 76

  • Total Democratic Party votes for Day 4: 2,385

  • Republican Party in-person voting: 51

  • Republican Party mail-in ballots returned: 0

  • Total Republican Party votes for Day 4: 51

Early voting totals for Wednesday, May 22

  • Democratic Party in-person voting: 1,999

  • Democratic Party mail-in ballots returned: 141

  • Total Democratic Party votes for Day 3: 2,140

  • Republican Party in-person voting: 42

  • Republican Party mail-in ballots returned: 0

  • Total Republican Party votes for Day 3: 42

Early voting totals for Tuesday, May 21

  • Democratic Party in-person voting: 2,011

  • Democratic Party mail-in ballots returned: 162

  • Total Democratic Party votes for Day 2: 2,173

  • Republican Party in-person voting: 45

  • Republican Party mail-in ballots returned: 0

  • Total Republican Party votes for Day 2: 45

Early voting totals for Monday, May 20

  • Democratic Party in-person voting: 2,040

  • Democratic Party mail-in ballots returned: 3,558

  • Total Democratic Party votes for Day 1: 5,598

  • Republican Party in-person voting: 32

  • Republican Party mail-in ballots returned: 27

  • Total Republican Party votes for Day 1: 59

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso voters head to polls as early voting begins in primary runoff