Her departure set off a competitive 2003 mayoral campaign between city commissioner Eddie Treviño and former Mayor Henry Gonzalez. Treviño and Gonzalez placed first and second (out of four candidates) in the election held on May 3, 2003, which qualified them for the runoff. In the runoff election held on June 7, 2003, Treviño won 4,377 votes (64.13%), defeating Gonzalez, who earned 2,448 votes (35.86%) to succeed Vela as mayor. Vela left office on June 10, 2003. Vela issued as statement thanking her family and the citizens of the city as her last act in office. In a speech following his oath of office on the same day, her successor, Mayor Eddie Treviño Jr., thanked Vela for her service as his first act as mayor. Vela's official portrait, which was hung in commission chambers, was also unveiled on June 10. Vela died of natural causes at her home in Brownsville on February 16, 2014, at the age of 78. She was survived by her three children, Sylvia, Ralph, and U.S. Congressman Filemon Vela Jr. Her husband, Judge Filemon Vela, Sr., died on April 13, 2004.