City’s Unconstitutional Ordinances Affected City Council Results

The conservative candidates for city council lost during early voting and (barely) on election day. Councilman and mayoral candidate Roman Garcia and second-time council candidate Barbara Dewell Ferguson each gave a gracious speech at their election night watch parties. They thanked everyone for their votes and support. But neither candidate nor LIA expected the disappointing results.

There were multiple obstacles placed in the path of the grassroots during the city election. First, city council passed an ordinance in March to restrict the First Amendment rights of citizens. This clearly targeted our voter guide distribution efforts. Next, city staff acted outside the ordinance effectively changing the ordinance without approval of the city council by leaping from preventing disrupting the voting process “by accosting, harassing, or intimidating” a voter, all the way to forbidding any contact with a voter walking to or from their vehicle (even beyond the 100-foot mark). This change was sent out to candidates midway through early voting, again moving the goalposts and making it near impossible to reach a voter.

It further confused volunteers and candidates with the city’s erratic enforcement and even no enforcement that changed day-to-day, and sometimes hour-to-hour. No one knew what they could and couldn’t do from one moment to the next. This caused a chilling effect and confusion – by design. We had one third the number of volunteers distributing voter guides this election compared to the March Primary.

The final obstacle that LIA faced was technical difficulties at the mass mail house. Our mailer was supposed to reach voters’ mailboxes in time for the start of early voting. Unfortunately, the mailers were delayed a full week by the post office in San Antonio (accidental or on purpose, who knows at this point). The early voting numbers reflect voters didn’t get the truth about the establishment slate of candidates soon enough.

Unfortunately, County Clerk Ian McCollum resigned two days before Election Day, leaving the administration of the election in chaos. The county commissioners held an emergency meeting to appoint a temporary replacement, Nadine Alford.

Those who knocked doors or interacted with voters at the polls agree that the election results do not match our conversations with voters either at the doors or the polls. Voters indicated they were overwhelmingly in favor of our candidates. We have no proof at this time of election fraud, but the results are almost inexplicable. Voter turnout was much higher this election cycle compared to the past. Roughly 3600 voters participated in the May 2023 election, while this past May 4 election saw almost 900 more voters. It’s clear more Democrats turned out this year than past years. In a city with more Republicans than Democrats, this loss lies squarely on lack of turnout by Republicans.

In addition, the Kerrville Forward PAC dumped tons of money into buying this election. The local “newspapers” engaged in yellow journalism and misled the voters about the candidates and LIA. Remember, Kerrville Forward was founded by a Democrat, John Harrison, and funded by both Democrats and establishment liberal “Republicans” like former County Judge Fred Hennecke.

There’s a little bit of good news, in that three of the amendments to the City charter LIA recommended as “no” votes failed to pass. See below. However, the most egregious (ones that made it more difficult to hire / fire the city manager and city attorney) passed.

Kerrville voters are about to get their property tax statements and eyes will be opened. The city’s policies are hurting families, residents, and businesses. We’ll be here to shine the light on it all and will continue to activate voters to make changes at city hall.

All of the winners were forced to run as ‘conservatives.’ While their idea of conservative never mentioned lower taxes, slashing debt, preserving our water supply, or getting smut away from kids in the library, they did claim to be conservative. It’ll be our job to hold them to genuine conservative policies. They can’t run as conservatives then govern like tax and spend Democrats.

Our lawsuit against the city’s unconstitutional ordinances just became more critical. Now more than ever we must utilize every avenue possible to pushback on the city’s overreach and the left-leaning policies hurting our families.

So buckle up, it’s going to be a wild ride.

Charter Amendments
Prop A – passed 90%
LIA rec – yes
Annexation and disorderly conduct of council

Prop B – passed 89%
LIA rec – yes
Inaccessible public records

Prop C – passed 62%
LIA rec – no
Injury claims against city staff

Prop D – failed 59%
LIA rec – no
Extension of council terms

Prop E – passed 78%
LIA rec – yes
Vacancy of city council seats

Prop F – failed 53%
LIA rec – no
Increase pay of council members

Prop G – passed 59%
LIA rec – yes
Grammatical changes about gender

Prop H – passed 61%
LIA rec – no
4/5 of council on city manager

Prop I – passed 60%
LIA rec – no
4/5 of council on city attorney

Prop J – failed 52%
LIA rec – no
Deadline extension for city budget”