Cigarroa Leads Early Voting in Laredo District 3

Incumbent Melissa Cigarroa holds a commanding early lead over two challengers in the Laredo City Council District 3 race.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

Cigarroa Leads Early Voting in Laredo District 3

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Melissa Cigarroa led early voting in the Laredo District 3 City Council race with 54.16% of votes, or 2,401 ballots. Clarissa Cardenas placed second with 26.98% and Michelle Winterroth third with 18.86% in unofficial early tallies.

Why it matters

Cigarroa has held the District 3 seat since 2022, and her early lead gives her a strong position heading into the final vote count. The early results offer Laredo voters a first look at how the contest is shaping up.

Cigarroa received 2,401 early votes, more than Cardenas's 1,196 and Winterroth's 836 combined. These are unofficial early voting totals, and the final result depends on ballots not yet counted.

The players

Melissa Cigarroa

Melissa Cigarroa is a 60-year-old incumbent Democrat who has represented Laredo's District 3 on the City Council since 2022.

Clarissa Cardenas

Clarissa Cardenas is a 39-year-old non-partisan candidate running in Laredo's District 3 council race.

Michelle Winterroth

Michelle Winterroth is a 53-year-old independent candidate running in Laredo's District 3 council race.

The details

Melissa Cigarroa, an incumbent Democrat, leads a field that includes non-partisan candidate Clarissa Cardenas and independent Michelle Winterroth. The results reflect early voting only, and the race will be decided by the full count.

2022: Cigarroa began holding the District 3 council seat.
Early voting results for the District 3 race were published on November 4, 2026.

Political Context

Cigarroa first won the District 3 seat in 2022 and now faces two challengers seeking to unseat her. Her early lead places her in a stronger position than either opponent as the race moves toward a final count.

Laredo residents in District 3 should expect the final result to be determined once election-day and mail ballots are counted. The early tallies give an indication of the race but are not the final outcome.

The takeaway

Early voting gives a snapshot of the District 3 race, but the final count will determine who represents Laredo's District 3 on the City Council. Voters who have not yet cast ballots can still affect the outcome.