Kyle Heads to Dec. 13 Runoff as Rizo and Flores-Cale Vie for Mayor

Kyle, Texas, is heading into a decisive runoff on Saturday, Dec. 13, as former council member Robert Rizo and former council member Yvonne Flores-Cale face off for the mayor’s office after no candidate captured a majority in the Nov. 4 election.

The Runoff Election

The special election was triggered by the resignation of incumbent mayor Travis Mitchell, who announced he would step down effective in November, a year before his term was scheduled to end. Mitchell, the longest-serving mayor in Kyle’s history, left the position open for a new leader. Early voting ran from Dec. 1 through Dec. 9, and polls will open on Dec. 13 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Nov. 4 ballot listed four candidates: Andrea Villescaz, Yvonne Flores-Cale, Donny Wills, and Robert Rizo. Rizo received just over 42% of the vote, while Flores-Cale finished with 32%. Because no candidate surpassed the 50% threshold, the top two advanced to the runoff.

Candidates’ Platforms

Robert Rizo

Rizo has served on the Kyle City Council for three terms and as Mayor Pro Tem for three years. He said, “I’ve worked really closely with a lot of our elected officials at all levels. I’ve helped bring in a lot of infrastructure during my time and address public safety,” he said. “I’m really proud of the work we’ve done as a council.”

He highlighted three priorities for the city:

• Improving roads
• Conserving water and enhancing water infrastructure
• Revitalizing downtown

Rizo added, “As we all know, we’re far behind in our growth. We’re trying to catch up,” and emphasized a focus on keeping road bond projects on time, on schedule and under budget. He also said, “The other thing I’m going to be highlighting is our water infrastructure. Making sure we’re continuing to conserve water, but also bringing in the new systems online in a timely manner is going to be really important.”

When asked why he is running, Rizo said, “I’m running on my accomplishments,” and noted his proven track record as a reason for his candidacy.

Yvonne Flores-Cale

Flores-Cale represented District 2 on the city council from 2020 to 2023. She said, “I’ve been a resident advocate since 2019, and I’ve listened to what the residents needed and knew what they wanted,” Flores-Cale said. She added, “I have a legal background – I have a master’s degree in legal studies – I can understand the intricacies of the agreements.”

Her top issues are:

• Building community trust
• Conserving water
• Improving roads

Flores-Cale emphasized the importance of trust, saying, “I know infrastructure is important, but I think more important than infrastructure is going to be building a foundation of trust between the residents and the elected officials.” She also said, “My job as a mayor is to make people’s lives easier. I don’t want them to have to stress about fiscal responsibility. I want them to understand, trust and believe that elected officials are really looking out for them.”

She explained her motivation to run: “I think we need somebody who’s going to go in there and bring a real, solid change,” Flores-Cale said.

City Council District 1 Race

The City Council District 1 seat will also be decided in the runoff on Saturday. Incumbent Bear Heiser, who received about 40% of the vote in the Nov. 4 election, will face challenger Courtney Goza, who earned 27%. Kyle LeVell trailed with 23%, and Ellen Ermiss finished in fourth place. Heiser was 545 votes short of the threshold needed to avoid a runoff.

Key Takeaways

• Kyle’s mayoral runoff pits former council members Robert Rizo (42%) and Yvonne Flores-Cale (32%) against each other on Dec. 13.
• Early voting occurred Dec. 1-9, and polls will run 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the runoff day.
• The District 1 council seat is also contested, with incumbent Bear Heiser facing Courtney Goza.

Closing

The runoff election on Dec. 13 will determine whether Kyle continues its trajectory of growth and infrastructure development under Robert Rizo or embraces a new direction with Yvonne Flores-Cale. Voters will decide which candidate’s vision best aligns with the city’s needs as the election day approaches.