Updated 10:06 p.m. CST
Every Hays County incumbent found success in his or her re-election bid in the Nov. 6 election.
According to unofficial returns, Precinct 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe won 61 percent of the vote with eight of eight precincts reporting, while Republican challenger Mary E. Gonzales earned 38.6 percent. Ingalsbe picked up 6,336 ballots, compared to 3,983 for Gonzales.
Precinct 1, Place 1 Justice of the Peace JoAnne Prado received 9,502 votes, representing 56.21 percent of the vote with 18 of 18 precincts reporting, while challenger Amy Lea Akers received 7,401 votes, or 43.79 percent.
A pair of Democratic constables were also re-elected.
Precinct 1 Constable David Peterson captured 10,221 votes, or 60.5 percent of the total, while Stephen A. Velasquez garnered 6,686 votes, or 39.5 percent.
Precinct 2 Constable James Kohler claimed 5,756, or 52.7 percent, of the vote, while challenger Ron Hall earned 47.3 percent, or 5,164 votes.
All results are unofficial until canvassed.
Updated: 9:42 p.m. CST
Hays County incumbent Precinct 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe appeared headed to victory with seven of eight precincts reporting in the Nov. 6 general election.
Ingalsbe, a Democrat, had locked up 5,864 votes, representing 61.8 percent, compared to challenger Mary E. Gonzales' 3,622 votes (38.2 percent).
Precinct 1, Place 1 Justice of the Peace JoAnne Prado also held a solid lead over challenger Amy Lea Akers. With 15 of 18 precincts accounted for, Prado received more than 9,000 votes, representing 56.1 percent of the total counted.
Longtime Precinct 2 Constable James Kohler maintained a narrower 52.5 percent-to-47.5 percent edge over challenger Ron Hall with 11 of 12 precincts reporting, while Precinct 1 Constable David Peterson held a wider lead over his challenger, Stephen A. Velasquez. Peterson had garnered 60.5 percent of the vote with 15 of 18 precincts reporting.
Posted: 7:35 p.m. CST
Democratic incumbent Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe cruised to a wide lead Nov. 6 in her re-election bid for Precinct 1 Hays County commissioner, according to early ballot returns.
Unofficial results showed Ingalsbe earned 60.3 percent of the early vote, while challenger Mary E. Gonzales received 39.7 percent of early votes. With Election Day polls closing at 7 p.m., Hays County election officials planned to release complete results later in the evening.
Ingalsbe, a lifelong San Marcos resident and the only Democrat on the Commissioners Court, is the first woman to serve as a Hays County commissioner. She received 3,753 early votes, compared to 2,469 early votes for Gonzales, in the race for a four-year term to represent the southern and eastern portions of the county, which borders Caldwell, Comal and Guadalupe counties.
In the race for constable in the Kyle area, incumbent Precinct 2 Constable James H. Kohler held a 51.3 percent lead after early voting, compared to challenger Ron Hall's 48.7 percent of the early ballot.
Incumbent Precinct 1 Constable David Peterson held a 59.95 percent lead over Stephen A. Velasquez.
Kohler has held the constable's seat in the Kyle area for nearly four decades. Peterson has served as the Precinct 1 constable representing the San Marcos area since 2008. Hall is the police chief in Bertram, while Velasquez is a former Precinct 1 chief deputy constable.
Three other Hays County elected officials—Sheriff Gary Cutler, Tax Assessor-Collector Luanne Caraway and Precinct 3 Commissioner Will Conley, all Republicans—were re-elected to four-year terms. None of them drew a Democratic challenger, and each ran unopposed in the general election.
Former New Braunfels Mayor Bruce Boyer also ran unopposed for the 22nd District Judge's seat serving Caldwell, Comal and Hays counties.