Editor’s note: These are preliminary results updated as of 11:11 p.m. on Nov. 4. The Daily Record will publish an updated version when the election has been canvassed.
In the Nov. 4 election, San Marcos residents voted on 12 city charter amendments — changes to the governing documents — and two city council seats.
For San Marcos City Council Place 1, incumbent Matthew Mendoza was victorious, receiving 57.48% of the vote or 4,009 votes.
Chase Norris received 42.52% of the vote or 2,966 votes.
For Place 2, there will be a runoff election between Josh Paselk and incumbent Saul Gonzales. Josh Paselk received 36.33% of the vote or 2,534 votes. Saul Gonzales received 27.04% of the vote or 1,886 votes.
Barbara Montana-Escobar received 24.85% of the vote or 1,733 votes. Christopher L. Polanco received 7.17% of the vote or 500 votes. Brandon Oles. received 4.60% of the vote or 321 votes.
Charter amendments Proposition A that would make governing document language gender neutral was approved with 60.31% of the vote or 4,468 votes in favor and 39.69% of the vote or 2,940 votes against.
Proposition B that would require the city to post public notices on its website and social media in addition to in a newspaper was approved with 93.48% of the vote or 6,857 votes in favor and 6.52% of the vote or 478 votes against.
Proposition C that would increase the mayoral term from two to four years with a term limit of two consecutive terms was denied with 56.38% of the vote or 4,122 votes against and 43.62% of the vote or 3,189 votes in favor.
Proposition D that would decrease the number of required council meetings from 22 to 20 was approved with 53.14% of the vote or 3,828 votes in favor and 46.86% of the vote or 3,375 votes against.
Proposition E that would make it so each council meeting had an agenda item with the previous meeting minutes along with an item for approval of the minutes was approved with 93.72% of the vote or 6,715 votes in favor and 6.28% of the vote or 450 votes against.
Proposition F that would amend Section 3.13 of the city charter to correct a run-on sentence and clarify that printed copies of the code of ordinances may be available for purchase was approved with 87.69% of the vote or 6,248 votes in favor and 12.31% of the vote or 877 votes against.
Proposition G that would increase the time from 30 to 90 days for citizens to file a referendum to approve or reject legislation enacted by council was approved with 81.07% of the vote or 5,714 votes in favor and 18.93% of the vote or 1,334 votes against.
Proposition H that would increase the time from 45 to 60 days for the city clerk to determine whether a referendum, initiative or recall petition is properly signed was approved with 67.56% of the vote or 4,748 votes in favor and 32.44% of the vote or 2,280 votes against.
Proposition I that would increase the time from five to ten years for the Planning and Zoning Commission to do a periodic review of the comprehensive plan was denied with 72.75% of the vote or 5,137 votes against and 27.25% of the vote or 1,924 votes in favor.
Proposition J that would reorganize the provisions of Section 7.02(7) regarding the review of the city charter to Section 7.03, which focuses on the comprehensive plan, was approved with 75.11% of the vote or 4,797 votes in favor and 24.89% of the vote or 1,590 votes against.
Proposition K that would require plain language to be used in the city’s budget documents was approved with 95.26% of the vote or 6,891 votes in favor and 4.74% of the vote or 343 votes against.
Proposition L that would change the title of Article XII to Ethics, previously General Provisions, and would move sections unrelated to ethics to a new article, Article XIII called General Provisions was approved with 83.53% of the vote or 5,660 votes in favor and 16.4% of the vote or 1,116 votes against.
