Election challenge in La Joya targeting Palmview poll judges

EDINBURG -- Although attorney Ramon Garcia has played it close to the vest in the lead-up to this week's trial, a strategy began to take shape Monday morning in the former county judge's challenge to the validity of May's La Joya school board elections.

In his questioning of several voters, a board member and the school board's secretary, Garcia named four election judges at two voting sites in Palmview where voters are alleged to have been turned away or allowed to vote improperly.

The civil suit was filed shortly after the May 12 election that solidified the current board majority. Domingo "Mingo" Villarreal and Elma Garza each lost by 300-some votes to Arturo Gonzalez and Esperanza "Espie" Ochoa, members of "Team USA."

Garcia's witness list is extensive and he said he expects to take a week to set out his case before Judge Fred Hinojosa.

Questioning has centered around four election officials: Linda Tijerina and Aida Rivas -- both also Palmview city employees -- Max Montelongo and Gloria Amador.

The four were judges or clerks at Bentsen and E. B. Reyna elementaries.

Team USA member Johnn Alaniz, a La Joya board member, is the city manager of Palmview.

Board members and allies of western Hidalgo County's two powerful political factions attended the first day of trial, but several were confined to the hallway outside the courtroom because they may be called as witnesses.