Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Mission Mayor & City Council Election 2026

4 of 5

council seats up

4 contests

15 candidates

Updated Oct 4, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

Find a candidate

Mayor · 1 seat

Natalie GarzaMission business owner running for mayor.1sourced
Norie Gonzalez GarzaIncumbentMission's mayor since 2022 and owner of a real estate brokerage since 1991. She was first elected to the City Council in 2007 and served as Mayor Pro Tem from 2012 to 2020.5sourced
Juan GinesMechanic and small business owner with more than 40 years of experience.1sourced
Armando OcañaFormer Mission mayor who held the office from 2018 to 2022.4sourced
Ruben PlataMayor Pro Tem of Mission, first elected to the City Council in October 2007. He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and accounting and is a past president of the Valley Bankers Association.7sourced
Rick SalinasMission attorney with more than 30 years of legal experience. His campaign platform is centered on fiscal responsibility, affordability and total transparency.4sourced

City Council Place 1 · 1 seat

City Council Place 2 · 1 seat

City Council Place 3 · 1 seat

Every Mission voter chooses one candidate in each contest because all council seats are elected at large. A candidate needs a majority of the votes cast, or a runoff is ordered. Place 4 is not on the ballot.

3 notes on these statements

Ruben Plata, who holds Place 2, is running for mayor. MyRGV reports he gave up the Place 2 seat to run, and a special election for the rest of that term, which runs to November 2028, is on the same ballot. MyRGV · Sep 21, 2026

The city's candidate list identifies some mayoral candidates by their formal names: Ricardo Lee Salinas (Rick Salinas), Noralinda Gonzalez Garza (Norie Gonzalez Garza) and Juan Jesus Gines Crispin (Juan Gines). Texas Border Business · Sep 30, 2026

All six mayoral candidates confirmed they will take part in the Oct. 14 community forum hosted by Village in the Valley. Texas Border Business · Sep 30, 2026

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Jose Alberto VelaCouncilman, Place 4; term ends November 20286sourced

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

Start here

Match quiz4 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesCity finances and the credit downgrade, Property tax rate, City-run EMS and the firefighters' agreement Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Last day to register to vote

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

City finances and the credit downgrade

Where it standsS&P cut Mission's credit rating in June 2026, citing weak reserves, and the council has since adopted a $197.3 million budget for 2026-27.

What's on the tableThe next council will set budgets and tax rates while the city works to rebuild reserves and deliver timely audits.

S&P lowered Mission's general obligation debt rating to 'BBB+' from 'A-' on June 25, 2026, citing weakened reserves. S&P Global Ratings · Jun 25, 2026
S&P said it could consider raising the rating if Mission posts timely audits and reduces its receivable and payable activity. S&P Global Ratings · Jun 25, 2026
The council accepted its annual audit on June 26, nine months after its due date, according to the Progress Times. Progress Times · Jul 11, 2026
Total appropriations in the 2026-27 budget, adopted Sept. 15, are $197,342,227. City of Mission · Sep 15, 2026

Property tax rate

Where it standsOn Sept. 8 the council voted to propose a 2026 tax rate of $0.5653 per $100 and scheduled the adoption hearing for Sept. 22; the posted minutes do not yet show the final vote.

What's on the tableThe next council will set the property tax rate each year within the limits of state law.

The calculated no-new-revenue rate for 2026 is $0.5653 per $100 of valuation, and the current rate is $0.5580. City of Mission · Sep 8, 2026
The council voted 5-0 on Sept. 8 to propose a total rate of $0.5653 and to schedule a public hearing for Sept. 22. City of Mission · Sep 8, 2026
The Progress Times reported that the council could not impose a property tax increase because its audit was filed about nine months late under a new state law. Progress Times · Jul 11, 2026

City-run EMS and the firefighters' agreement

Where it standsThe council approved a meet-and-confer agreement with the firefighters' union on Sept. 22 that keeps the fire department as the exclusive fire and EMS provider.

What's on the tableThe next council will oversee in-house EMS costs and revenue and will face the agreement's renewal after its first year.

On Sept. 8 the council voted 4-1 to continue negotiations with the Mission Firefighters Association, with the mayor voting against. City of Mission · Sep 8, 2026
MyRGV reported the council unanimously adopted the agreement on Sept. 22, with a one-year fixed term and two one-year extensions instead of the initial three-year fixed term. MyRGV · Sep 24, 2026
Mission ended its relationship with Med-Care EMS in January 2024 after voting to make EMS a fully, publicly run enterprise. MyRGV · Sep 24, 2026
The 2026-27 budget separates EMS from the fire department so it is audited as its own department. MyRGV · Sep 24, 2026

Hiring a permanent city manager

Where it standsTwo co-interim city managers have run the city since September 2025, and the council voted 3-2 in August 2026 to start a search.

What's on the tableThe council that serves after the election will be seated while the search for a permanent manager is under way or concluding.

On Aug. 18 the council voted 3-2 to start the search for a city manager, with Mayor Pro Tem Plata and Councilman Vela against. City of Mission · Aug 18, 2026
A resident told the council that the selection should be left to the council that serves after the Nov. 3 election. City of Mission · Aug 18, 2026
JP Terrazas and Andy Garcia have served as co-interim city managers since former City Manager Mike Perez was placed on leave in September 2025. MyRGV · Aug 18, 2026
Under the charter, the City Council appoints the city manager, who serves at the will of the council. City of Mission · Jul 29, 2026

Oversight of the Mission EDC

Where it standsOn Sept. 8 the council voted 5-0 to direct the internal auditor to audit the Mission Economic Development Corporation.

What's on the tableThe next council will receive the audit's findings and decide how to oversee the corporation's spending and incentives.

The audit is to cover MEDC financial operations, internal controls, procurement, expenditures, contracts, incentives, grants, assets and programs. City of Mission · Sep 8, 2026
The council approved a 2026-27 MEDC budget with appropriations of $8,399,530 and cut its travel and training line to $100,000. City of Mission · Sep 8, 2026
S&P also lowered the rating on the Mission Economic Development Authority's sales tax bonds to 'A-' from 'A' in June 2026. S&P Global Ratings · Jun 25, 2026

Drainage

Where it standsThe council clarified in August 2026 how Drainage Improvement Fee revenue may be used and approved drainage-related reimbursements to the General Fund.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide how drainage fee revenue and capital dollars are split between drainage projects and other city costs.

Ordinance 5864, approved 5-0 on Aug. 25, says Drainage Improvement Fee revenue may be used for operating, maintaining, repairing and improving the city's drainage system and removes expiration language. City of Mission · Aug 25, 2026
Resolution 2079 authorizes an anticipated reimbursement of $700,000 a year from the Drainage Fund to the General Fund for drainage-related Streets Department work. City of Mission · Aug 25, 2026
On Sept. 8 the council approved a $136,000 supplemental engineering agreement for the Bryan Road reconstruction and drainage project. City of Mission · Sep 8, 2026

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

1. When should Mission hire a permanent city manager?
2. Should the city audit the Mission Economic Development Corporation?
3. How should Mission handle city employee pay in the 2026-27 budget?
4. Where should drainage rank among Mission's infrastructure needs?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

Last day to register to voteTexas Secretary of StateOct 5, 2026
Mayoral candidates forum (hosted by Village in the Valley)Texas Border Business · Sep 30, 2026Oct 14, 2026
Early voting beginsTexas Secretary of StateOct 19, 2026
Early voting endsTexas Secretary of StateOct 30, 2026
Election DayCity of Mission · Oct 24, 2025Nov 3, 2026

The seat math

1 stay (not up this year): Jose Alberto Vela4 on this ballot

5 council seats. The council decides by a 3-vote majority.

The City Council is made up of the mayor and four councilmembers in Places 1 through 4, all elected at large. City of Mission · Jul 29, 2026
The mayor presides over the council, must vote on matters before it except as provided in the charter's rules of procedure, and has no veto. City of Mission · Jul 29, 2026
Council members serve four-year terms, and a person may not serve as mayor for more than three four-year terms. City of Mission · Jul 29, 2026
Where no candidate wins a majority of the votes cast for a council position, a runoff election is ordered. City of Mission · Jul 29, 2026
When a vacancy has more than 12 months left in its term, the charter says the term is filled by an election. City of Mission · Jul 29, 2026
The council ordered a Nov. 3, 2026 special election for Place 2, for a term expiring in November 2028. City of Mission · Jul 21, 2026

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