It's a former teacher and former school principal squaring-off for the Brownsville Independent School District Board of Trustees Position 7 - Linda Gill-Martinez and Jose Hector Chirinos.
Both candidates were neck and neck as results were announced on election night, but when all precincts were accounted for, it was Gill-Martinez out in front by a small margin.
"That race was very close,” Cameron County Elections Administrator Roger Ortiz said. “They were off by I believe it was four votes.
According to Gill-Martinez, she and other unofficial BISD trustee winners have already been sworn-in by the school district.
However, Ortiz said there's still votes left to be added to Tuesday night’s count, and that's why all results are still considered unofficial and have not been canvassed yet.
“One that has been mentioned a lot, is the military vote, or the overseas vote,” Ortiz said. “By law, we have to wait five days until after the election to receive them. Since the fifth day falls on a weekend, we've got to wait until the following Monday - but Monday is a holiday so it goes to Tuesday."
BISD Public Information Officer Drue Brown said unofficial winners were not sworn in this week.
However, she said the unofficial winners, including Gill-Martinez, signed a form stating that they did not pay anyone for the votes they received in order to get elected.
Chirinos said having Gill-Martinez sign that sheet is premature.
He told Action 4 New, BISD should've had better discretion regarding the a neck to neck race, especially with votes still pending.
Chirinos said if when the mail in votes are accounted for, things are still a few votes difference, he will ask for a recount.
Ortiz said there’s usually very little difference in re-counts, however, it’s possible things could be overturned in this race given the record-breaking voting numbers this election.
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