El Paso Sheriff's Office and district attorney races set for runoff in May: recap

Voters in El Paso and across Texas, along with those in 14 other states nationwide, will participate in their party's primaries on Super Tuesday, March 5.

The El Paso Times is here to provide all you need to know about the primary election when you can cast your ballot today.

El Paso has typically leaned towards the Democratic party, and the primary ballot reflects this trend. While Republicans compete in only seven races, Democrats will contend for over 30 seats in the March primary.

Those who survive the primaries will face off in the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

The runoff primary election day will happen on May 28.

>>>CLICK HERE for Super Tuesday Texas primary election results in El Paso County.

More: Who's on the ballot? Meet the candidates running in El Paso Super Tuesday Texas election

El Paso DA race heads to runoff

James Montoya and Alma Trejo will face off in a runoff election for the El Paso district attorney seat as neither was able to receive more than 50% of the votes in Tuesday’s primary election.

Montoya, currently a deputy public defender, finished with 38% of the votes, or 12,949 total votes, while Trejo, former judge of the El Paso County Criminal Court #1, ended with 36% of the votes, 12,240.

Nancy Casas, a current assistant county attorney, received 27 percent of the votes, 9,259.

The runoff election will be held May 28.

― Aaron Martinez

District 77 race: Vince Perez, Norma Chavez in runoff

The District 77 race is headed to a runoff. Former El Paso County Commissioner Vince Perez collected the most votes, with 3,698 votes (38%), but former state Rep. Norma Chavez was close behind with 3,132 votes (32.2%).

Former city Rep. Alexsandra Annello, meanwhile, netted 2,295 votes (23.6%) and businessman Homer Reza ended the night with 611 votes (6.3%).

Perez and Chavez will meet on May 28 in a runoff election and the winner will become the next member of El Paso's state delegation.

― Adam Powell

El Paso County Sheriff's Office race heading to runoff election in May

The Democratic primary for El Paso County sheriff is going to a runoff election as Constable Oscar Ugarte emerges as the frontrunner among contenders from the Sheriff's Office after the Super Tuesday unofficial final results.

Ugarte secured a significant lead with 15,404 votes, representing 43.4% of the total votes cast. Following behind were Robert "Bobby" Flores with 8,500 votes (24.0%), and Ryan Urrutia with 8,359 votes (23.6%). Michael P. Gonzales garnered 2,019 votes (5.7%), while Raul Mendiola trailed with 1,190 votes (3.4%).

Since no candidate received more than 50% of the votes, this will head to a runoff election. Ugarte and Flores will face off on May 28.

— Aaron Bedoya

Jackie Butler secures Democratic win in Precinct 1 race

It's official, Jackie Arroyo Butler has won the Democratic primary for the El Paso County Commissioners Court Precinct 1 race. As the unofficial final results rolled in, Butler had 5,226 votes (58.7%) compared to Pete Faraone with 3,683 votes (41.3%).

The primary victory means Butler will face the unusual three-candidate showdown in November, as she faces Ryan Woodcraft, a Libertarian, and former El Paso city Rep. Claudia Rodriguez, a Republican.

Despite coming up short in the primary, Faraone expressed pride for his campaign, which started months after Butler's and lacked the same Democratic Party support.

"I’m very proud to have been a part of this process," he said. "I’m proud that I was able to give the voters a choice in this election. I’m very thankful to the voters who came out and voted. I’m thankful to all the people who helped and supported my campaign. And I wish nothing but the best for Jackie Butler.”

― Adam Powell

El Paso County Sheriff's Office race: Ugarte takes lead

Oscar Ugarte is in the lead in the El Paso County sheriff race.

"It feels amazing. I did feel positive going into this race. When I was knocking on doors the support was there. I was getting positive feedback when I was talking to the community so I did feel comfortable coming to election night.

“I was surprised by the big margin that I have against my opponents but I think it does tell a story that the community of El Paso is ready for a new generation of leadership and they believe in my vision and I want to thank them for giving me the opportunity," he said.

— Daniel Borunda

Colin Allred clinches Texas Democratic nomination for US Senate

U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, the former pro football linebacker who six years ago knocked off an entrenched Texas Republican to capture a Dallas area seat in Congress, vaulted to an outright victory in Tuesday's Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, ABC News and NBC News declared around 9:30 p.m.

Allred bested a field of nine candidates and was burying his nearest rival, state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, by a 4-1 margin, according to unofficial election returns. Allred can now shift gears and set his sights on the November matchup against two-term incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who easily dispensed with two comparatively unknown challengers on the GOP side.

— John Moritz

Arroyo leads Precinct 1 race in Texas primary election

The first round of election day results for Super Tuesday shows Jackie Arroyo Butler holding onto her lead in the El Paso County Commissioners Court Precinct 1 battle.

The first Super Tuesday results showed Butler with 3,230 votes (57.5%) compared to 2,391 (42.5%) for her opponent, Peter Faraone.  If Butler is able to hold onto her lead in the Democratic primary, she will face former city Rep. Claudia Rodriguez, a Republican, and Ryan Woodcraft, a Libertarian, in the Nov. 5 General Election.

Neither Butler nor Faraone were available for comment.

― Adam Powell

District 77: Vince Perez leads Super Tuesday; runoff expected

With the first round of Super Tuesday results, former El Paso County Commissioner Vince Perez is maintaining his lead in the contentious District 77 race.

The first election day results showed Perez with 2,416 votes (41.4%) compared to his closest competitor, former state Rep. Norma Chavez, who has claimed 1,836 votes (31.5%). Former El Paso city Rep. Alexsandra Annello was in a close third with 1,229 votes (21.06%), while businessman Homer Reza is bringing up the rear with 356 votes (6.1%).

From Perez's watch party at Deadbeach Brewery, in an oversized room near vats full of beer, he expressed optimism for the rest of the night.

"We're a small but mighty campaign," he said. "I think this is indicative that our message is working; the message we have is resonating."

Still, with no candidate holding 50% of the vote, the election is likely headed for a Perez-Chavez runoff.

― Adam Powell

Butler, Holguin early leaders in commissioner races

Jackie Arroyo Butler jumped out to an early lead in the Commissioner Precinct 1 race as early voting totals rolled in on Super Tuesday.

The first results showed Butler ahead of her primary opponent, former El Paso County Sheriff’s Officers Association President Peter Faraone, 3,081 (57.8%) to 2,298 (42.72%).

For her part, Butler said she was encouraged by the early voting results.

"It shows that El Paso’s Eastside understands the need for continued strong leadership on Commissioners Court and that our message about investing in infrastructure and high-impact jobs resonated with the voters,” she said in a text. I’m looking forward to seeing the rest of the results tonight."

Incumbent Iliana Holguin had an even larger advantage over her opponent in the Commission Precinct 3 race.

Holguin received 2,854 votes, or 78% of the early vote, while Virginia Rodriguez received 801 votes, or 22%, in the Democratic primary.

― Adam Powell

Ted Cruz wins Texas Republican Senate primary

Incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz has won the Texas GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, The Associated Press reports.

On the Democratic ticket, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas was leading his opponents with more than 58% support, according to the Texas Secretary of State's Office reporting 39% of Texas counties results. State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, had received just over 19% of the vote.

― Lily Kepner

AP: Biden and Trump win Texas primaries

The Texas primary races for president have been called by The Associated Press, with Democratic President Joe Biden and former Republican President Donald Trump securing their parties' nominations.

― Lily Kepner

Vince Perez takes lead in state District 77 race

Early voting totals show former El Paso County Commissioner Vince Perez with a more than 10% lead over his closest competition, former state Rep. Norma Chavez, in the state District 77 race. Early voting totals showed Perez with 2,313 votes (42.6%), Chavez with 1,698 (31.3%), followed by former city Rep. Alexsandra Annello with 1,090 votes (20.09%) and businessman Homer Reza with 324 votes (5.87%). Still, the mood at Chavez’s watch party at L&J Cafe was jovial as the night’s first totals rolled in.

"We’re excited to move forward," Chavez said after a day of phone banking and canvassing at the polls. "I would hope we’ll be able to close the gap. We had good response to our mailers and seniority matters in this race."

― Adam Powell

James Montoya takes slight lead in El Paso district attorney race

James Montoya has a slight lead in the race for the El Paso district attorney race in the 2024 Democratic primary election.

Montoya, currently a deputy public defender, has received 7,833 votes, or about 40% of the votes, early voting results show.

Former Judge Alma Trejo is second with 6,664 votes, and Nancy Casas, a current assistant county attorney, is third with 5,422.

The district attorney’s race appears to be headed to a runoff election in May if no candidate gets more than 50% of the votes.

"So far, we have been very happy with the results,” Trejo said. “We started late. We started our campaign in October. Our goal was just to get into a runoff and so far so good."

"With three opponents, I was pretty sure this was always going to turn into a runoff, so I am very happy to be number one," Montoya said. "We are ready to work another three long months until May 28 (runoff election)."

― Aaron Martinez

Sen. Roland Gutierrez gets big lead in Uvalde County

Uvalde County, which is home to the horrific May 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School is repaying state Sen. Roland Gutierrez for his unwavering support of the families and victims.

Early returns show Gutierrez carrying more than 70% of the Uvalde vote. He represents the county in the Texas Senate.

― John Moritz

2 of 3 Texas State Board of Education incumbents lead GOP primary opponents

Early results show two of three incumbent State Board of Education incumbents leading over their GOP primary challengers.

Incumbent Tom Maynard, R-Florence, held just about 48% of the early vote. Round Rock school board member Mary Bone trailed him with about 40% of the early votes. D.C. Caldwell, a third candidate in the race who is running as both a Republican and Democrat, received about 2% of the early GOP vote. State Education Board's District 10 seat, which Maynard holds, encompasses Williamson County.

In North Texas, incumbent Pam Little, R-Fairview, led with almost 40% of the early vote for District 12. Little faces three challengers: Chad Green, Jamie Kohlmann and Matt Rostami.

Incumbent Pat Hardy, R-Fort Worth, trailed her GOP opponent Brandon Hall in the District 11 race. Hardy received about 45% of the early vote compared with Hall's 55%.

― Keri Heath

Big early lead for Colin Allred in US Senate Democratic primary

With just a few counties reporting early votes in the Texas Democratic primary election for U.S. Senate, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred from Dallas is building a more than 7-1 lead over his closest challenger, state Sen. Roland Gutierrez from San Antonio.

The other seven candidates in the field are in the low single digits. These early vote totals are unofficial.

To avoid a runoff, a candidate must win an outright majority.

— John Moritz

Where is my voting location?

Voting in Texas runs through 7 p.m. Registered voters in El Paso County can choose any voting location to cast their ballot.

The El Paso County Elections Department will publish the unofficial election results and begin releasing them after the polls close at 7:00 p.m.

— Aaron Bedoya

Facebook down on Super Tuesday

Facebook users may have had trouble logging onto their accounts on the morning of Super Tuesday. Around 7 a.m. MST, thousands of people began to report that Facebook was down during one of the biggest election days of the year, according to Downdetector.

— Maria Cortes Gonzalez

Where do I vote? El Paso County polls now open

Voting for El Paso County starts at 7 a.m. and runs through 7 p.m. Registered voters can choose any voting location to cast their ballot.

— Aaron Bedoya

Austin American-Statesman contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Super Tuesday 2024 coverage: Texas primary election updates in El Paso