With unofficial results tallied, three winners have emerged in the race for the Harris County ESD No. 9 board of commissioners. Jessica Rivas, Tommy Balez and Scott DeBoer are in line to be the district's new commissioners after earning 1,078 votes (20.5 percent), 834 votes (15.9 percent) and 828 votes (15.8 percent), respectively.

A total of seven candidates filed to run for the board. The other four candidates received the following vote totals:

  • Martin R. Martinez: 809 (15.4 percent)

  • Betty Boren Avery: 780 (14.8 percent)

  • Mike West: 702 (13.3 percent)

  • Eric D. Zapata: 232 (4.4 percent)


Rather than compete in head-to-head elections, candidates in ESD races all run against each other, and the top three candidates with the most votes win the three seats.

Two of the three candidates to win seats—Rivas and Balez—ran as a part of an organized effort called ESD No. 9 Moving Forward. In a Q&A with Community Impact Newspaper, Rivas, a member of the Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department Board, said she wants HCESD No. 9 to partner with CFVFD on a needs assessment.

"Boards are there to guide a group of people to have oversight, but they’re not supposed to get into the weeds," she said. "When I look at [the] ESD and their relationship with [CFVFD], it should be a collegial, collaborative effort."

DeBoer was one of two incumbents to run for re-election. He said his priorities include continuing to lower the tax rate while extending exemptions to seniors and making sure CFVFD has what it needs to provide the best service to the community.

"Raising two kids in the district, my dad instincts really want me to know that my family and community are in the best hands for fire and EMS services," he said.

An ESD is a political subdivision that controls non-municipal fire and emergency medical services in unincorporated areas like Cy-Fair. ESD No. 9 contracts with the Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department, manages the department’s budget, sets tax rates and holds monthly meetings that are open to the community. Commissioners are overseeing the construction of several new fire stations underway in Cy-Fair.

ESD No. 9 commissioners serve four-year terms. Commissioners Bob Janusaitis and David Langenberg will be up for election in 2020.

All results are unofficial until canvassed.