Paulette Guajardo (left), Greg Smith, and Billy Lerma each won their bid for seats on the Corpus Christi City Council. Guajardo will be the new mayor, Smith will return as District 1 council member, and Lerma will fill the open District 4 seat after swearing-in ceremonies on Jan. 12, 2021. Courtesy photos

Paulette Guajardo (left), Greg Smith, and Billy Lerma each won their bid for seats on the Corpus Christi City Council. Guajardo will be the new mayor, Smith will return as District 1 council member, and Lerma will fill the open District 4 seat after swearing-in ceremonies on Jan. 12, 2021. Courtesy photos

Paulette Guajardo will be the next mayor of Corpus Christi — and the only woman on the nine-person City Council — after winning the Dec. 15 runoff election with 56 percent of the vote. She defeated incumbent Mayor Joe McComb, who garnered 44 percent of the vote. Each received about 32 percent in the Nov. 3 general election over seven other candidates.
District 4 council member Greg Smith won his re-election bid against challenger Kaylynn Paxson with 64.5 percent of the vote over 36.5 percent. Four people vied for that position.
Billy Lerma defeated Rachel Ann Caballero 55.9 percent to 44.1 percent for the open District 1 seat, which includes downtown and North Beach. They came out on top of a four-person race Nov.3
Results will become official when canvassed at the Dec. 22 City Council meeting. New council members, including the mayor, will be sworn in at City Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021.