After months of campaigning, meet and greets, forums, and local political discourse, the South Padre Island mayor election, now a runoff, will come to a close with Election Day this Saturday, June 29. Some eager voters, however, have already casted their early ballots this week as the window to do so also concluded.

According to SPI City Secretary Susan Manning, a total of 557 voters cast their ballots during the early voting period. As of press time last week, only 274 voters had done so.

Manning also stated via email that an additional 87 ballots were mailed out, and 72 have been returned and casted thus far.

Election Day will be held on Saturday, June 29 with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at City Hall, 4601 Padre Blvd.

The two candidates who have been running for the position since May are former assistant city manager Darla Jones and Planning and Zoning Chairman, as well as business owner, Patrick McNulty.

For scope, SPI Mayor Dennis Stahl announced his departure back in February, deeming a special election necessary. On that ballot were the two aforementioned candidates as well as business owner Clayton Brashear.

That May election came and went with 950 total ballots casted. Jones received 417 votes; McNulty received 285, and Brashear 244. Brashear lost that special election, and when no candidate earned a 50 percent plus one of the votes, the runoff election between Jones and McNulty ensued.

Jones will be hosting an Election Day watch party at Padre Island Brewing Co. that evening and McNulty will be hosting his at F&B SPI.

By FREDDY JIMENEZ