Field largely set for May city election in Abilene; Quinońez qualification 'in limbo'

Greg Jaklewicz, Abilene Reporter-News
·4 min read

Filing for the May 6 election in Abilene ended Friday with 10 seeking three places on the Abilene City Council and four running for the Wylie ISD board.

Early voting begins April 24 and goes through May 2.

The city race may or may not include Carlos Quinońez, who was listed as "not qualified" as of Friday's 5 p.m. deadline. His status could change, City Manager Robert Hanna said.

For the second time, Cynthia Alvidrez filed for the city election just before deadline. She is seeking Place 3 on the City Council, creating a four-person race for that seat.

Alvidrez previously ran unsuccessfully for the Abilene ISD board and for mayor, opposing Anthony Williams in 2020. Williams, then seeking a second term, won 81% of the vote.

She filed for that election shortly before the deadline

She recently confronted the council at a regular meeting.

A grouping of campaign signs support Abilene City Council candidates Blaise Regan and Brian Yates, along with current councilman Weldon Hurt, who is running for mayor. The three in campaign announcements promoted Abilene business.
A grouping of campaign signs support Abilene City Council candidates Blaise Regan and Brian Yates, along with current councilman Weldon Hurt, who is running for mayor. The three in campaign announcements promoted Abilene business.

Seeking council seats are:

  • Mayor: Ryan Goodwin, Weldon Hurt, Quinońez and Dasi Reddy

  • Place 3: Cynthia Alvidrez, Shawnte Fleming, Blaise Regan and James Sargent

  • Place 4: Scott Beard and Brian Yates

Hurt currently is filling his second term as Place 4 councilman. Sargent unsuccessfully ran for council last spring.

The other candidates are seeking local council posts for the first time.

Mayor Anthony Williams is not running for a third term while Place 3 Councilwoman Donna Albus is ending her service after two terms.

Quinońez disqualified as mayor candidate

Quinońez filed Jan. 23 and was listed as qualified for mayor, then not qualified.

The city stated he had not provided the required paperwork to show a felony conviction that he said is from 30 years in Colorado was fulfilled. He said his felony criminal trespass did not require jail time and was fulfilled through community service.

Quinońez said Wednesday that he had provided documentation attesting to that but filing closed Friday with "not qualified" still by his name.

Hanna clarified to the Reporter-News what is disqualifying Quinońez as a candidate.

"Mr. Quinońez earnestly feels that he has provided the documentation that is necessary," Hanna said Friday afternoon, three hours before the filing deadline. "But under state law, if one is convicted of a felony - and the state law is silent on where the conviction took place, you have two defects.

"You can't vote and you can't hold public office."

Hanna said Quinońez's documentation shows that he complete probation in Colorado but the documentation "doesn't remove the penalty or the prohibition on holding public office. We need to see something from a court, from a judge, that shows that. That that disability, as it is called, has been removed.

"His documents don't show that. We have to follow state law, which means he is disqualified."

Hanna said City Attorney Stanley Smith has been providing counsel on the issue.

Carlos Quinonez speaks to supporters at his Jan. 26 announcement event. He was disqualified as a candidate.
Carlos Quinonez speaks to supporters at his Jan. 26 announcement event. He was disqualified as a candidate.

Because Quinońez filed before Friday's deadline and is otherwise qualified to run, Hanna said his status could change if the documentation the city seeks is provided.

Hanna said just before 5 p.m. Friday the situation remains "in limbo."

At the filing deadline, the city website still showed him as "not qualified" though the listing had been update to change Clark's status from not qualified to being a write-in candidate.

Hanna said he understands Quinońez's frustration.

"Honestly, I think it's a stupid thing, but it's the law," he said. "We don't have a choice here. It's pretty black and white."

Quinońez, on his application, had checked the box about having a felony conviction. He also indicated that disabilities have been removed. Hanna said the documentation does not show that.

"It's clear he's frustrated. He has been nothing but professional and polite," Hanna said. "This happened so long ago. I am not surprised he's having a hard time finding the records.

"I don't think the public needs to judge his character off of this. I don't know him well, but I believe he's more than one mistake."

Because he was not officially a registered voter by Friday's filing deadline, mayoral candidate Chad Clark instead is listed on the city's election website as a write-in candidate.

Being a registered vote in Texas is requirement for office in Abilene. Clark has applied to register but that would go into effect after the filing deadline.

Four seeking two seats on Wylie ISD board

The Wylie ISD board races added a candidate Friday with the filing of Blaise Herberg for Place 5.

The place currently is held by Steve Keenum, a former board president and board member for 15 years. He is not running for re-electing.

Previously announcing for Place 5 was Megan Stephenson.

Laura Donaway is seeking the 2-year, unexpired Place 1 term of Chris McCurley, who resigned in July. Former board member Dr. Stephen Lowry has stepped into that role but is stepping aside after the May election.

Joining that race recently was Jud Beall, a Wylie High graduate.

For the Wylie board:

  • Place 1: Laura Donaway, Jud Beall

  • Place 5: Blaise Herberg, Megan Stephenson,

No seats are up for election this spring on the Abilene ISD board.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Field largely set for May city election; Quinońez qualification 'in limbo'