Rockport calls special election to fill Ward 1 vacancy
Published 11:59 am Monday, August 10, 2026
The City of Rockport announced Friday that it will hold a special election Nov. 3 to fill the Ward 1 City Council seat left vacant by the resignation of Stephanie Rangel.
Rangel officially resigned July 28 after accepting a career opportunity in Houston. Her council term was not scheduled to expire until 2029.
During her final City Council meeting, Rangel reflected on her time in office and thanked fellow council members and constituents. She said advocating for residents, particularly those in underserved areas of Ward 1, was a priority throughout her tenure.
“I think advocacy was what stuck out to me the most and how important it was to advocate for the people and the citizens,” Rangel said during the meeting. “Ward 1, there’s a lot of areas that are underserved and that was important to me to have that advocacy there. Hearing them out always involving myself to insure that I was putting their priorities and their needs as well above any commercial development. I always said I would be for the people, and I felt like I kept that promise.”
Rangel was first elected to the council in 2023 and won another term in 2025.
Rockport Mayor Tim Jayroe thanked Rangel for her service following her resignation.
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“Stephanie has been a dedicated advocate for Ward 1 and the City of Rockport,” Jayroe said. “She approached every decision with a genuine desire to serve her neighbors and improve our community. On behalf of the City Council and the citizens of Rockport, I want to thank Stephanie for her commitment, leadership, and the positive impact she has made. We wish her nothing but success in the future.”
The council is scheduled to vote Tuesday to formally place the Ward 1 special election on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Candidate filing will open Wednesday and close at 6 p.m. Aug. 20.
The winner of the special election will fill the vacant Ward 1 seat, returning the council to its full membership of a mayor and four council members.
The Rockport City Council will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Rockport City Hall.
Lindsey Plotkin is a multimedia reporter for the Victoria Advocate. Contact her at lindsey.plotkin@vicad.com.