Sanger residents re-elected each of the incumbents running for City Council on Saturday with a lower-than-normal voter turnout.

Joe Higgs, 70, a retired teacher, farmer and rancher, won his second full term as mayor with 169 votes.

He began serving as mayor in 2005, finishing a term when Mayor Tommy Kincaid died.

“I appreciate the voters’ confidence in what I’ve been doing,” Higgs said, adding that the elections were quiet this year.

Higgs said he and Glenn Ervin were the only candidates who put signs up in the community.

“It’s like there was hardly anything going on,” he said.

Prior to serving as mayor, Higgs completed three terms on the City Council.

Challenging Higgs for the mayoral seat was Joe Falls, 72, a business manager who received 33 votes.

Despite facing two opponents this year, Glenn Ervin, 51, a retired contractor, retained his seat on the council with 136 votes.

Sanger's former city manager, Jack Smith, 63, joined Larry Miller, 57, a lineman, in challenging Ervin, earning 48 and 16 votes, respectively.

Andy Garza, 64, a service manager, was unopposed and received 171 votes.

The slow voting day was possibly due to a new voting location, said Rose Chavez, city secretary.

This is the first year that the voting site was moved from City Hall to the Community Center as officials planned on a joint election with the city and school board. However, all the school board slots were uncontested, prompting the district to cancel its election.

Out of 3,238 total registered voters in Sanger, 573 cast ballots, including 92 who voted early.

Higgs said he wants to continue to see Sanger progress, but with emphasis on parks and recreation, particularly new soccer fields.

“I want organized growth,” he said, “but in the right direction.”

RANDENA HULSTRAND can be reached at 940-566-6845.  Her e-mail address is rhulstrand@dentonrc.com .