Northeast Texas voters will choose among a number of contested city council races this May following Monday’s filing deadline.
In Hunt County, citizens in Commerce and Greenville will choose a new mayor, while a number of new names have filed for city council positions countywide.
The Commerce Mayor’s race pits Coby Marcum against John Ballotti, while Steve Harrison and Emma Martin will vie for Council Place 2. Incumbent Sue Davis is unopposed for Place 4.
Greenville voters will choose between Steve Reid and Jim Morris for mayor. It’s a three person race for Council Place 6 among Mike Smith, Cedric Dean and Sandra Linson-Bell. For the Place 5 seat, Renee Francey will oppose incumbent Bryan Herrin.
Three at-large positions are up for grabs in Wolfe City. Four candidates will appear on the ballot, three of them incumbents. Jeffrey Creed, Jeff McDaniel and Julia Winsel have all filed for reelection. Sharon Scott was the only non-incumbent to file.
The field is even larger in Celeste, where voters will choose three positions among seven candidates. Three candidates are seeking reelection to at-large seats; Felicia White, Joel Gibson and Roger Seals. Stacey Kittelson, Doug Milton, Albert Chesney and Teddy Cole have also filed.
In Quinlan, there are three contested races out of four vacancies. Darlene Robinson will challenge Incumbent Carolyn Strickland for Place 1. David Arnt will oppose Richey Whitehead, who is seeking reelection to Place 3. Whitehead’s father, Richard, is also seeking reelection and will face Donny Brock for Place 5. Place 2 Incumbent Carole Petty is unopposed.
Caddo Mills voters will choose between incumbents Ben Bentley, Matt McMahan and Jason Saulters, as well as Betty Farrow and James Johnson. Only three at-large positions are up for grabs.
There will be no election for council seats in the City of Lone Oak, as no one filed for the Mayor, Place 2 and Place 4 vacancies. According to Hunt County Elections Administrator Mina Cook, a new law passed by the latest Texas Legislature requires write-in candidates to be submitted on the final day of the filing period, as opposed within five days after the filing period had ended.
The City of West Tawakoni has decided to move their council elections until November. According to a city official, three positions will become vacant later this year; Place 2 Councilperson Carole Welch, Place 4 Councilwoman Carole Solomon and Mayor Pete Yoho.
To conclude Hunt County, KETR was unable to reach a city official with Campbell, Hawk Cove, Neylandville and Union Valley Tuesday to learn who their council candidates where, if any.
Busy ballots will also appear before voters elsewhere throughout the listening region on May 12.
Perhaps the most congested race is in the small Fannin County town of Ladonia, where citizens will choose among nine candidates to fill two positions, plus the mayor’s seat. PK Kirkpatrick is the only incumbent to file for an at-large seat. The remaining candidates include Issac Scoggins, Dan Robertson, Johnny Ray (Nick) Crosby, Rich Barnett, Gerald R. Isom, Lawrence E. Shindler, Sr., Betty McDonald and Thomas Mead. In the mayor’s race, Incumbent Jan Cooper is seeking reelection. She’ll be opposed by Leon Hurse.
Also in Fannin County, two incumbents are among the candidates to file for reelection in Honey Grove. Harold Roberts will seek another term as mayor. He’ll be opposed by Leigh Dixon and Thad Weems. Two positions are available among four candidates for city alderman. Incumbent Claude Caffey is running again, while Terry Paul Cunningham, Dennis Whitlock and William S. Channing Jr. have also filed.
The City of Bonham has two contested races for May. Incumbent Ruth Ann Thomas is seeking reelection to Warn No. 2. She’ll be challenged by Margaret Bradshaw. For Ward No. 4, Nancy Lawrence seeks to unseat Glenn Taylor. H.L. Compton is unopposed for Ward No. 3.
Over in Sulphur Springs, citizens will see a familiar face on the council following the conclusion of the May elections. That’s because incumbent Craig Johnson is unopposed for Place 1. Place 2 Incumbent Clay Walker, however, is facing opposition from Charles Oxford. And David Kelly has turned in an application to run for City Council Place 3, challenging Incumbent Oscar Aguilar.
Paris citizens will choose between Don Shelton and Aaron Jenkins for the vacant District 1 seat. For District 2, Incumbent Robert Avila will face Billie S. Lancaster. The District 3 race pits Incumbent John Wright against Marvin Wroten. And in District 6, Cleonne Drake has filed to challenge Incumbent Edwin Pickle.
Five candidates will vie for three positions on the Cooper City Council in Delta County. Willie Wilkins, Joe Ann Preas and David Phillips are the incumbents to file. Leon Hanson and Jay Fred Jackson will challenge.
A couple of Rains County cities won’t conduct elections for city council this year. The next election cycle for East Tawakoni and Emory will come in May 2013. In the City of Point, they’ve decided to hold elections this November, coinciding with the General Election.
Early voting is set between April 30 and May 8.