Cities, Schools Ready For Elections

Staff Writer

Early voting begins Monday for city and school board elections throughout Van Zandt County.

Election Day will be May 10 from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at each voting site. The only exception is Martins Mill ISD, which will hold its school board trustee election in November.

Grand Saline ISD will have incumbent Victor Conley and challengers Walt Bryant, Kenneth "Skeeter" Fowler and Sandra Scheu vying for two at-large seats on the school board.

Current board member Tommy Stephens did not file for re-election.

Early voting will take place from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Grand Saline ISD Superintendent’s Office inside Grand Saline Middle School.

The city of Grand Saline canceled its May election due to a lack of a challenger for one of three council positions. Incumbents Don Yarbrough, Jay Rohus and Don Latham will be sworn in at the May 13 council meeting to begin new two-year terms.

In Fruitvale ISD, four people are running for two seats on the school board. That list includes incumbents Rod Hoffpauir and Jean Hogue, along with challengers Bobby Taylor and Joyce Whatley.

They will be going for a full three-year term. Ronnie Abrams has filed for re-election to finish an unexpired one-year term and will be challenged by Barbara Rongel.

Early voting for Fruitvale school district voters will take place from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. in the school administration building.

In Edgewood ISD, Place 2 will be contested by Dan Sharff and Chuck Tull for one year of an unexpired term vacated by Scott Brown. Place 6 incumbent Helen Howell will be challenged by Tracy Henderson, while Place 7 incumbent James Hooks is running unopposed. Both Place 6 and Place 7 are full three-year terms.

Early voting for Edgewood ISD will be from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the administration office.

Edgewood Mayor Charles Prater is running for another two-year term and will face a challenge from Alan Roush. Place 1 on the Edgewood City Council will be a one-year term vacated by Terry Tull, and will be filled by either Blake Tyndall or Randall Chitty.

For Place 2, Stephen Goode is running unopposed. Place 5 will be between incumbent Louis Dunn and challenger Ricky McCormick. Current council member Hal Humphrey did not file for re-election.

Early voting will take place at Edgewood City Hall from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Monday and on May 6, the final day of early voting. On other dates, early voting will be from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Both the city and school district elections will be held at the Edgewood City Hall on May 10.

The city of Wills Point has received three filings. Incumbent Herbert Dunn has filed for re-election, and Deby Frye and Sim Caldwell Sr. have also filed. The seat vacated by Randy Reagan is the only open seat. Council seats are at large, and the top two vote getters will be seated on the council.

Two citizens, Shane King and Mike Jones, have filed to replace J.R. Everett in Seat 7 of the school board. Dyde Manning is running for re-election unopposed. Council elections are at large, and the top two vote-getters will fill those seats.

The early voting period will run from April 28 to May 6. Early voting for city council will take place at city hall. Early voting for school board can be done at the school administration office.

City hall will have extended hours for early voting on Tuesday, April 29, and Tuesday, May 6, when the polls will be open from 7 a.m.–7 p.m.

Polls will be open on Election Day, May 10, from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at the chamber of commerce building.

Early voting for the upcoming city and school board elections will begin April 28 and go through May 6.

Citizens will be voting for the position of mayor in the city of Van election with current Mayor Billy Smith and current council member Billy Wilson both running for the position.

The city of Van had two council seats up for election. Incumbents Jack Perry and Al McCarty each filed for their seats and were the only applicants to file. The pair will retain their seats for another two years.

Should Wilson win the mayor’s spot, the council will appoint someone to fill his empty council seat until the May 2009 election.

Early voting for the city election may be done at Van City Hall on Monday, April 28 through Monday, May 5 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. The last day to early vote is Tuesday, May 6 and you may cast your ballot at city hall from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on that day.

In the Van ISD School Board race, incumbent Barbara McMillan will face opponent Ted Mitchell. Incumbent Shelby Davidson will run unopposed and retain his seat on the board.

This year’s school board election will be different in that each filing candidate chose a specific place on the board to vie for, instead of an at-large election where top vote-getters win the open spots.

Early voting for the school board election will take place at the Van ISD Administration Building and ballots may be cast from Monday, April 28 through Tuesday, May 6 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Canton ISD early voting will begin Monday and run April 28-May 2 for city council and school board.

Election Day is set for Saturday, May 10, at the junior high library from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Registered city voters will decide on who will fill three council seats, and two school board seats.

The three seats on the city council that will expire include those currently held by Elaine Gothard, Kevin Deibert and William F. Hilliard.

Incumbents Hilliard and Deibert have both re-filed.

Others filing for city council include Clay Nicklas, Charles Sonny Huddle, Ross Maris and Raymond Pruitt.

The seats on the council are for two-year terms.

On May 5-6, early voting for city council will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Early voting for the city of Canton will be held at city hall 8 a.m.-5 pm, Monday, April 28 through Friday, May 2, and 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday, May 5 through Tuesday, May 6.

In the school board race, incumbent Terry Patterson has re-filed. The other seat in contention is currently held by Dale Hester.

Joining Patterson on the ballot are Reagan Sumner, Michael Rogers, Earl Post, and Allen Holl.

The seats on the council are for three-year terms.

Early voting for the school board is April 28 through May 6 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the administration office.

For the convenience of the voter and due to space considerations, the joint polling location for the city and school on Election Day will be the Canton Junior High School Library, 1115 Buffalo St., Canton. There will be no voting at city hall on May 10.