Special election to fill District 8 City Council seat set for June 10th

El Paso City Council approved June 10, 2017 as the date for the special election to fill the seat being vacated by City Representative Cortney Niland.

June 10th is the same date being reserved for potential runoff elections from the City’s election in May. City Attorney Silvia Borunda Firth says with the amount of candidates in the mayoral race, a runoff is very likely.

“Council today took the formal action of accepting Mrs. Niland’s resignation and also called the election to take place on June 10th, which is the date we anticipate we are going to have to have a runoff election because of all the candidates running,” City Attorney Sylvia Borunda Firth said.

If no city wide runoff election is held, the city’s cost to hold a special election for Niland’s seat is estimated around $40,000, the City Clerk’s office told ABC-7.

District 8 includes a large swath of West El Paso, along with Downtown and most of South-Central El Paso. The district is also home to the Duranguito neighborhood, which has been at the center of the controversial arena project.

Candidates who wish to run for District 8 will be able to file their paperwork starting on Tuesday, and will have until May 1, 2017 to do so.

Cortney Niland announced that she is resigning from her post two weeks ago, citing personal and family issues. Niland will remain the District 8 representative until her replacement is chosen.

“I am really sad, really sad about Cortney. I am really sad about the mayor. There is so much change happening and I am always complaining to folks that change is good, but I am really having a hard time with this,” City Representative Claudia Ordaz said.