Montoya, Ugarte and Perez unofficial winners of Democratic runoff

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — James Montoya and Oscar Ugarte are the apparent winners of the Democratic runoff elections for El Paso County district attorney and sheriff, respectively, according to unofficial final results released at 11 p.m. Tuesday, May 28.

Montoya and Ugarte led throughout the evening from the early voting results being released at 7 p.m. until the unofficial final results were announced at 11 p.m.

Former County Commissioner Vince Perez is the unofficial winner of House District 77, also according to unofficial final results.

Montoya, a public defender and former assistant district attorney, has 52 percent of the vote, or 12,585 votes, according to unofficial final results.

Alma Trejo, an attorney and retired county criminal court judge, has 48 percent, or 11,617 votes.

The winner will face Republican incumbent Bill Hicks in the November general election.

Last March, Montoya received 37.57 percent of the vote and Trejo was a close second with 35.53 percent. Trejo led most of the evening before late results tallied and pushed Montoya into the lead.

The District Attorney's Office represents the state and crime victims in prosecuting felony and misdemeanor crimes against adults committed in El Paso, Culberson and Hudspeth counties, according to the DA's office website.

Hicks was appointed to the position after previous DA Yvonne Rosales resigned in December 2022 amid a whirlwind of controversy.

In the race for El Paso County sheriff, Ugarte received 57.36 percent, or 14,068 votes, after unofficial final results were released. Bobby Flores has 42.64 percent or 10,459 votes.

Ugarte is the county constable for Precinct 1, while Flores is a retired chief deputy with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.

In the March primaries, Ugarte received 43.39 percent of the vote, but was unable to secure a majority. Flores had 23.95 percent, followed by Ryan Urrutia with 23.58 percent. Only 132 votes separated Flores and Urrutia, deciding second place in the runoff in Flores' favor.

The winner will face Republican Minerva Torres Shelton in the general election.

Candidates for sheriff are vying to succeed incumbent Richard Wiles, who did not seek re-election and is retiring after four terms.

There are two other Democratic runoff elections depending on where you live.

In District 77, former County Commissioner Vince Perez is the apparent winner, according to unofficial final results.

Perez has 63.90 percent or 4,853 votes. Former state Rep. Norma Chavez has 36.10 percent, or 2,742 votes.

There are no Republicans running in this race.

They were competing to succeed state Rep. Lina Ortega, a Texas Democrat, who is serving her fourth term in the Legislature and has decided not to run for reelection.

Perez served two terms on the County Commissioners Court before being defeated for re-election in 2020. Chavez served in the state Legislature from 1997 to 2011.

In Precinct 1, Frank Almada is the unofficial winner with 60.91 percent or 2,526 votes. Andrea “Andi” Baca has 39.09 percent, or 1,621 votes.

Once again, there are no Republicans running.