by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

10-20-25

Early voting has started today for the November 4th, 2025 elections. Among the items on the ballot include the creation of an Emergency Services District 3.

The Uvalde Hesperian spoke with Uvalde County Elections Administrator Christine White last week confirming that there will be poll watchers for this election.

Diana Olvedo-Karau actively lobbied against the creation of an Emergency Service District (ESD) in the 2024 election, which was defeated by the voters. In this 2nd attempt to create an ESD Olvedo-Karau had decided to not publicly lobby against the measure. But when Fire Chief Kenneth White with the Reagan Wells Volunteer Fire Department reached out to her, asking for help to defeat the proposition she realized that there were tax paying citizens across the county that do not want the proposition to pass, so she agreed to help.

One of the ways in which Olvedo-Karau hopes to help with this effort is by creating the Defeat ESD3, a Specific Purpose Political Committee that will allow for the appointment of poll watchers for the election. It is the only way in which poll watchers will be allowed to participate in the election process. Olvedo-Karau hopes to have poll watchers at the polling sites, meetings of the Early Voting Ballot Board when Ballots by Mail are qualified and accepted; and at the Central Counting Station (CCS), the place on election night where ballots are counted, vote totals are accumulated, precinct returns are completed and the unofficial elections results are generated.

Rhonda Vigil is one of the citizens who will be poll watching.

“It’s very important that We the people be involved in every single election. There’s always something for everyone to do, even if you’re bound to a wheelchair or at home..
If your interested in becoming a poll watcher here’s the link to the training. It only takes about 30 minutes.

1. register
2. complete the course
3. print out your certificate, ” Vigil said.

 

 

 

 

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

Top photo is a screenshot from the City of Uvalde video feed

  08-12-25

  During the citizens comments portion of the Tuesday, August 12th Uvalde City Council Meeting, R. Patrick Williams leveled harsh criticism against Uvalde Mayor Hector Luevano for calling into question the legitimacy of the Emergency Services District 3 Petition brought before the Uvalde County Commissioners Court Meeting on August 11th.

  “Yesterday,  Mayor Hector Luevano appeared before the Uvalde County Commissioners making a serious allegation against the Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department. He accused the department for submitting a flawed petition that, in his view, did not meet the requirements necessary to place the ESD before the voters, ” Williams said.

R. Patrick Williams is a longtime member of the Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department.

  Williams claimed that Luevano stated he was speaking not as Mayor but as a citizen, pointing out Uvalde County Judge Bill Mitchell introduced Luevano as mayor.

“Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the County Commissioners remain responsible for ensuring the petition meets all necessary standards.” Williams said.

A video of Patrick Williams speaking before Tuesday night’s city council meeting can be found here with Williams comments at the 26:37 time mark.

 “You are mayor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” Williams said speaking directly to Mayor Luevano.