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In the San Juan mayoral contest, incumbent Miguel Romero Lugo from the New Progressive Party (NPP) secured 51,108 votes, surpassing Manuel Natal Albelo of the Citizen Victory Movement, who garnered 45,836 votes. The candidate from the Popular Democratic Party (PDP), ex-Tourism Company director Terestella González Denton, came in third with 11,502 votes. Maidalys Irizarry Viegas from the Dignity Project received 2,327 votes, while independent José Vargas finished last with 285 votes.
Results from mayoral elections in the island’s principal urban areas and larger towns were significant victories.
In Bayamón, six-term NPP mayor Ramón Luis Rivera Cruz emerged as the decisive winner against PDP opponent Morgan Alejandro Cordero Calderón, with 45,523 votes to 7,354.
In Guaynabo, incumbent mayor Edward A. O’Neill Rosa from the NPP easily triumphed over PDP contender Ernesto Cabrera Fuentes, achieving 19,882 to 6,364.
In Caguas, PDP incumbent mayor William Miranda Torres successfully fended off NPP challenger Roberto López Román, winning 22,657 to 13,480.
In Carolina, PDP incumbent mayor José Carlos Aponte Dalmau outperformed NPP candidate Humberto Cobo Estrella decisively, with 26,873 to 10,867.
In Arecibo, PDP incumbent mayor Carlos Rubén “Tito” Ramírez Irizarry overcame the challenge from NPP’s former lawmaker José “Memo” González Mercado, with a vote count of 17,241 to 10,188.
In Ponce, interim mayor Marlese Sifre Rodríguez of the PDP significantly defeated NPP contender Pablo Colón Santiago, securing 29,799 votes compared to 8,913.
In Mayagüez, PDP candidate Jorge Luis Márquez Pérez won overwhelmingly against former senator Evelyn Vázquez Nieves from the NPP, achieving 13,344 to 4,253.
It was unclear at press time whether the vote totals reported by the State Elections Commission were finalized.
