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Running for Local Office

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GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

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These are the requirements to apply for a place on the May 1, 2021 ballot in Texas:

  • January 13, 2021:    First day to file

  • February 12, 2021:    Last day to file, by 5:00pm

    • This is a received by deadline, not a postmark deadline date.

  • February 16, 2021:    Deadline (5:00pm) for write-in candidates to file Declarations of Write-In Candidacy in a regular election.

  • Application must be filed with the local Election Office.  For example, to run for Richardson City Council, file with the City, and to run for Richardson ISD Board of Trustees, file with the RISD.

  • The application must be notarized.​

GeneralRequirments

CITY OF RICHARDSON MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

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Responsibilities:​

Council members are responsible for

  • hiring the City Manager, 

  • appointing the City Attorney, City Secretary, Municipal Court Judges, City Health Officer and citizens to the City’s boards and commissions,

  • passing City ordinances, 

  • planning for capital improvements, 

  • issuing and selling municipal bonds, 

  • purchasing and selling property, 

  • establishing City departments, 

  • determining City services, 

  • approving the annual budget, and 

  • setting the City’s tax rate. 

 

The City Manager is responsible for the City’s daily operations, hiring department heads, supervising the City personnel, directing and coordinating all municipal programs, enforcing all municipal laws and ordinances, and recommending an annual budget.

 

Click here to see if you meet the requirements to run for Richardson Mayor or City Council.

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Candidate Packets:​

Candidate packets for City of Richardson Mayor and City Council will be available beginning January 4, 2021.  

  • To pick one up in person, go to the Grand Hall at the east end of the Richardson Civic Center and tell reception that you need to speak to the City Secretary.  The Richardson Civic Center is at 411 W. Arapaho Road in Richardson 75080.

  • To receive a packet electronically, email your request to the City Secretary:  aimee.nemer@cor.gov.

 

Section 4.06 of the City Charter requires each candidate to be nominated by petition.  For the May 1, 2021 election, each petition for Richardson City Council must contain at least 26 qualified voters of the City of Richardson.  Check the requirements here.

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Elections:​

The Richardson City Council consists of the Mayor, two at-large seats and four place, or district, seats. Though members representing Places 1 thru 4 must reside in those areas, all members of the City Council are elected at-large by voters. Once elected, council members choose the Mayor Pro Tem from among the elected members. All City Council seats carry two-year terms and are up for election during May of every odd year. Term limits for membership on the City Council are limited to 6 terms, or 12 consecutive years.

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May 1, 2021 Ballot Positions:​

All 7 places (Mayor and 6 Councilmembers) will be on the May 1, 2021 ballot.  All registered voters living in Richardson (Dallas County and Collin County) may vote for all 7 positions.

CityOfRichardson

Here are the incumbents:

 

Mayor (Place 7):    Paul Voelker

  • There is no residency requirement for Mayor.

Place 1:    Bob Dubey

  • The Councilperson in Place 1 must live in Place 1.

Place 2:    Mark Solomon

  • The Councilperson in Place 2 must live in Place 2.

  • Mark Solomon is term-limited and cannot run for re-election.

Place 3:    Janet DePuy, Mayor Pro Tem

  • The Councilperson in Place 3 must live in Place 3.

Place 4:    Kyle Kepner

  • The Councilperson in Place 4 must live in Place 4.

Place 5:    Ken Hutchenrider

  • There is no residency requirement for Place 5.

Place 6:    Steve Mitchell

  • There is no residency requirement for Place 6.

  • Steve Mitchell is term-limited and cannot run for re-election.

RichardsonCityCouncilAreas.png

Click the map for an enlarged view.

RICHARDSON ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES

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Responsibilities:​

The Board of Trustees has the executive power and duty to govern and oversee the management of RISD.  Acting as a collective body, the Board sets the direction for the school district. Some of the Board’s general responsibilities include:

  • Setting district policies and supporting administrators and teachers in the execution of those policies.

  • Employing and evaluating the superintendent.

  • Adopting the annual budget.

  • Levying/collecting taxes and issuing bonds.

  • Performing specific duties imposed by the state.

RISD
RISD.png

Click here to see if you meet the requirements to run for RISD Board of Trustees.

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Candidate Packets:​

Candidate packets for Richardson ISD Board of Trustees will be available beginning January 5, 2021.  

  • To pick one up in person, go to Room 205 in the Richardson ISD Administration building at 400 S. Greenville Avenue in Richardson.

  • To request a packet electronically, go to the RISD Board of Trustees website.

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Elections:

​From the RISD Board of Trustees website: 

“Richardson Independent School District voters elect board members to serve three-year staggered terms, helping to ensure that the board always includes experienced members.  Five trustees represent specific geographic areas (known as Single Member Districts), while two At-Large trustees represent the entire district.  Service on the board is voluntary and members must complete an extensive orientation as well as continued training throughout their terms.  RISD trustees consistently exceed the minimum number of state-mandated training hours.”

 

The Richardson ISD conducts an election every year to elect some members to the Board of Trustees.  The election will be canceled if all the positions on the ballot are uncontested.

 

In January 2019, the RISD Board of Trustees voted to change from having all 7 trustees elected at-large to having a 5-2 system:

  • 5 Single-Member Districts

  • 2 At-Large Places

 

The May 1, 2021 election will finalize the move to the 5-2 system.  All registered voters living in the Richardson ISD may vote for candidates running in At-Large Place 7.  Only registered voters living in Single-Member District 1 of the Richardson ISD may vote for candidates running in Single-Member District 1. On the ballot will be Single-Member District 1 and At-Large Place 7.

Here are the incumbents:

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  • Single-Member District 1:  Jean Bono.  

    • The Trustee in D1 must live in District 1.

    • Only registered voters living in District 1 may vote for this position.

  • At-Large Place 7:  Kim Caston.  

    • The Trustee in P7 may live anywhere in Richardson ISD.  

    • Any registered voter living in Richardson ISD may vote for this position.

RISDSingleMemberDistricts.png

Click the map for an enlarged view.

Tentative 2021 Calendar - May 1, 2021 RISD Board of Trustees Election:

PLANO ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES

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Richardson residents who live in Collin County can run for office on the Plano ISD Board of Trustees.  Places 1, 2, 3, and 6 will be on the May 2021 ballot.  For more information and eligibility requirements, see the Plano ISD website.

 

From the Plano ISD website:

“The Plano ISD Board of Trustees consists of seven members elected to serve, without compensation, for overlapping terms of four years each. Operating within the legal parameters of the state and federal constitutions, statutes, courts and administrative agencies, the board is charged with the responsibility of providing the finest educational program possible for the students in the district. School trustees make all final decisions regarding school district priorities, policies, personnel, textbooks, expenditures and growth management. Trustees adopt a budget which is necessary to maintain and operate the schools, levy taxes to support the budget and submit bond issues to the citizens of the district to finance construction projects. The board employs and evaluates the superintendent of schools, and selects and supervises the internal auditor.”

 

The incumbents:

  • Place 1: Tammy Richards

  • Place 2: Angela Powell

  • Place 3: Nancy Humphrey

  • Place 6: Jeri Chambers

PlanoISDBoard

COLLIN COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES 

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Richardson residents who live in Collin County can run for office on the Collin College Board of Trustees.  Places 7, 8, and 9 will be on the May 2021 ballot.  For more information and eligibility requirements, see the Collin College website.

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From the Collin College website:

“Collin College is led by a nine-member, elected Board of Trustees along with the district president.”

 

The incumbents:

  • Place 7: Jim Orr

  • Place 8: Dr. J. Robert Collins

  • Place 9: Andrew Hardin

Collin College Board

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CITY OF DALLAS MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

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The City of Dallas has a Mayor (elected at-large) and 14 members who represent single-member districts.  All are elected in odd-numbered years and serve concurrent 2-year terms.  All places will be on the ballot on May 1, 2021.

 

For more information, see the City of Dallas website.

CityOfDallas

CITY OF GARLAND  MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

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The City of Garland has a Mayor (elected at-large) and 8 members who represent single-member districts.  Elections are held each year; members serve overlapping 2-year terms.  The Mayor and Districts 1, 3, 6, 7, and 8 will be on the ballot on May 1, 2021.

 

For more information, see the City of Garland website.

CityOfGarland
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