Cameron County Democratic Party in State of Total Disorganization

Sylvia Garza-Perez, Outgoing
Cameron County Democratic Chair

Sylvia Garza-Perez, the Cameron County Democratic Chairperson for the last 16 months,  leaves the job with the local party in total disarray.  It's not just the clandestine party meeting where the outgoing chairperson attempted to pass the baton to politico Carlos Masso with just a scant few in attendance.  It's not just the so-called cat fight between Garza-Perez and Cynthia Hinojosa, the wife of former Chairperson Gilberto Hinojosa.

Sylvia leaves the office evidently with multiple precinct chair positions unfilled, several precinct chair positions purportedly filled by ineligible persons and party mailing lists inaccurate.

The aforementioned Hinojosa, the Precinct 9 Chairperson, acting as sort of a de facto County Chair, has submitted the following letter to the precinct chairs:

Dear Precinct Chairs,

I was provided a list of the current precinct chairs for Cameron County and after careful review and cross checking with the Voter Activation Network (VAN), I have determined that following precinct chairs do not reside in their precinct and therefore they cannot vote on Friday's meeting scheduled for October 11, 2013, at 6:30 pm as per Sec. 171.023. Residence of Precinct Chair as outlined below from the Texas Election Code: 

I have attached the list of Precinct Chairs provided to me by CCDP Secretary Ms. Evelyn Cantu, the

Gilberto, Cynthia Hinojosa

copies of the ineligible VAN printouts and the eligible printouts. The information was obtained from the Texas VAN if somehow you feel that it is incorrect, please make attempts to bring proof to make correct eligibility determination. 

The following precinct chairs that are ineligible to vote are as follows: 

#06, #13, #15, #16, #18, #30, #34, #36, #38, #42, #46, #47, #48, #49, #54, #59, #61, #68, #69, #70, #74, #99, #102

The following precinct chairs are eligible to vote:

#01, #03, #04, #05, #08, #09, #10, #11, #12, #14, #17, #22, #24, #27, #29, #37, #38, #40, #41, #45, #50, #52, #56, #57, #62, #63, #64, #67, #71, #72, #73, #76, #77, #79,#80, #82, #83, #87, #96, #98, #100, #101, 

The following are precincts that do not have a precinct chair: 

#02, #07, #19, #20, #21, #23, #25, #26, #28, #31, #32, #33, #34, #35, #39, #43,#44, #51, #55, #58, #60, #65, #66, #75, #78 #81, #84, #85, #86, #95, #97, #103, #104, #105, #106, #107, #108, #109

Cynthia Hinojosa

Precinct Chair, Precinct 9

Cameron County Executive Committee


Teresa Saldivar, Precinct 62 Chairperson, did not receive this letter personally and started researching the records. She found that the local party did not have her correct email address, thus no communication. Here are Ms. Saldivar's findings:
Seven members of our Party did not receive this information, because the email addresses connected to their names are invalid. My email address was also listed incorrectly as is other data connected to my name. That would explain why I was not receiving emails accordingly, only sporadic messages got through. Please share this information with other precinct chairs, to ensure everyone gets this information. Thank you.

An addendum from Ms. Salvidar:



I seek to look forward with improvements, not dwell on the negative of the past. If you can see your way to writing a positive piece, I would open to allowing it. Yes, the party has been discombobulated over the years, but that is not my focus...the negative.
Many of us want to focus on moving forward, not looking back and pointing fingers. That accomplishes nothing.