Sylvia Steele was declared mayor of George West on Saturday evening, May 9. Steele received 79 votes, Michael McCormick received 65 votes and Elsie DeLeon Garcia received 59 votes. “I’m so excited. I had been nervous all day. It’s great, everything is great,” Steele said during her victory party.

In the Place 4 race, Jim McGee was the winner, with 91 votes. Javier Canales received 58 votes and Ony Treviño received 50 votes. All 25 propositions on the ballot passed as well. However, the votes are not official until canvassed tonight (May 13) during a special City Council meeting. 

In the Place 2 race, Ralph Lopez was unopposed. He received 131 votes.

Steele’s political platform addressed social issues and concerns that are pertinent to senior citizens. “We need to take care of our senior citizens. I feel I am a senior citizen and I have to think like everybody else. We have to have our town prepared to respond to emergencies that are faced by seniors, especially the need for hospitals and clinics. That’s a challenge; and we are going to overcome that challenge,” Steele said during a political forum held last week.

Place 4 winner McGee pulled no punches with voters and won with 46 percent of the 199 votes cast. He said the biggest challenge the city is facing is with the budget. “It’s going to be tough, and I wouldn’t be surprised that we don’t see a tax increase. I’m not going to lie to you.”