EDINBURG — Some city employees will probably get their weekend back.

City Secretary Myra Garza said she will soon ask the City Council to cancel the city's May 9 election - which would have forced some employees to work that Saturday - after three candidates for political office ran unopposed.

A deadline to file as a write-in candidate passed Monday, assuring former mayor Richard Garcia and incumbent councilmen Noe Garza and Gus Garcia will return to office when May 10 rolls around.

Richard Garcia, who was the city's mayor from 2003 to 2006, ran unopposed for the mayor's spot to be vacated by current Mayor Joe Ochoa, while Garza and Gus Garcia ran unopposed for their respective council seats.

No propositions or other proposals are scheduled for city voters.

Because there is only one candidate for each spot, the city secretary can ask the council to consider an order canceling the election. Myra Garza said doing so will save the city the cost of leasing voting equipment and save employees the time and hassle of planning the election.

"There's a lot of work that goes into an election," she said. "It's a long process we won't need to go through."

Richard Garcia, who has campaign signs up across the city, said he was surprised he ran unopposed.

But with his election assured, he said, he wants to meet individually with Edinburg council members and elected officials from neighboring cities to reestablish relationships and plan ahead.

He wants to restart some projects he was working on in 2006 when he lost to Ochoa by about 500 votes.

"I felt like I left things unfinished to some degree," he said. "We certainly had a lot more to do for the city and I feel excited to go back and finish the job."

Noe Garza, who also ran unopposed in the last election, said it will be business as usual as he prepares to start his third term in May. His plans include continuing to push for state and federal funds to transform the city's airport into a hub for cargo operations.

He was prepared to campaign for office if he had an opponent, he said. Instead, like city employees, he will have an easy election day.

"I was real surprised that none of us had an opponent, but I can't complain," Noe Garza said. "I think it shows the citizens think we're heading in the right direction."

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Janes covers Hidalgo County government, Edinburg and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4424.