Elections – May 2025 – Dispatches from Dallas

Last week’s news – week ending 2025 05 25

Let’s jump in with some news from Dallas …

We have a number of pieces on the new convention center, starting with KERA: Dallas considers $1 billion loan for convention center renovations; Candy’s Dirt: City Hall Roundup: Downtown Crime, KBHCC, DallasNow Scam, where we get the quote, “So, we never use the word cost or budget”; the Dallas Morning News architecture critic Mark Lamster: First look: Newly revealed convention center is a gamble for downtown Dallas; and the Dallas Observer: Dallas Officials Give In-Depth Look at Convention Center Plans, Questions Remain. There’s a lot of skepticism about the money and the future of the center, which needs to be whipped into shape for the World Cup next year, since it’s going to serve as the broadcast center.
DMN: Greyhound plans September opening for new Dallas station. It’ll be opposite one of the DART stations, on Harry Hines.
The DMN’s Robert Wilonsky: Wilonsky: This is what happens when the NIMBYs are in your own backyard. Someone wants to use a vacant lot at the intersection of Royal Lane and Webb Chapel Road to put in a coffee shop, a retail space, or a small office building. The neighbors aren’t having it.
DMN: Effort to move Dallas elections to November stalls in Texas Legislature. We’ll continue to vote in May for at least another biennium.
DMN: Dallas police want 130 officers downtown in the next few months. How will the city do it? The plan is apparently to put new officers from the recent academy class downtown first and to possibly bring back some retired officers.
D Magazine: A Gun, a Horse, and One Woman’s Dream. It’s hard to be a Black woman cop in Dallas, and even harder to get on DPD’s Mounted Unit. But Tracy Morgan managed it.
DMN: Bush Center taps energetic West Texas native as its next CEO. They recruited him from Princeton. I’ve never been to the center, though my late mother-in-law was a docent there before the pandemic hit. We kept intending to take a day off and let her show us around, and now it’s too late.
The DMN’s Wilonsky, again: Wilonsky: Looks like we failed Fair Park. Again. He’s absolutely right that the Oak View Group has screwed up and management needs to go back to the Parks Department.
Candy’s Dirt: Dallas Officials Poised To Approve Atmos Gas Rate Hike. Because if they won’t, the Texas Railroad Commission, which ultimately controls rates, will.

… and then on to Fort Worth …

Fort Worth Report: One Fort Worth City Council seat remains up for grabs in June runoff. Meet the candidates. As noted elsewhere, early voting for the June runoff has begun.
Star-Telegram: Here’s the next leader of the Fort Worth Police Department … for now. It’s current executive deputy chief Robert Alldredge.
Candy’s Dirt: New Digs: Fort Worth Moves Into New City Hall, Site of Former Pier1 HQ Built After 2000 Tornado.
Star-Telegram: $1B expansion of Fort Worth Stockyards put on ‘indefinite hold’ in legal dispute. Sounds like a real mess; the lawsuit is being heard in Los Angeles.
Star-Telegram op-ed by Mayor Mattie Parker and others: Will deadly 1949 flood be repeated in Fort Worth? This project aims to prevent it | Opinion. It’s the Central City Flood Control project and the big question is whether they’ll get federal funding.Star-Telegram op-ed by Mayor Mattie Parker and others: Will deadly 1949 flood be repeated in Fort Worth? This project aims to prevent it | Opinion. It’s the Central City Flood Control project and the big question is whether they’ll get federal funding.

… and then to Dallas and Tarrant Counties …

DMN: Texas executes Matthew Johnson for setting Garland clerk on fire during 2012 robbery. This was a Dallas County case.
News on the Tarrant County redistricting, and there’s a lot of it, almost all from the Fort Worth Report:
- Fort Worth Report: At Arlington town hall, Democrats call redistricting racist while Republicans defend maps as fair and also from the Star-Telegram: Arlington residents criticize Tarrant County redistricting as racial gerrymander.
- Fort Worth Report: 10 Tarrant County mayors send letter opposing redistricting attempt. The group includes the Mayors of Fort Worth, Arlington, and Grand Prairie; they want to wait until the next census to redistrict again.
- Fort Worth Report: Tarrant Commissioner Matt Krause says he wants redistricting to grow Republican majority on court. Like his colleague Manny Ramirez, he’s saying the quiet part out loud.
More on the Tarrant County Jail and the death of Kimberly Phillips in February of this year: Family of woman who died in Tarrant County jail sues for medical records; and from KERA: Daughter of woman who died of dehydration, malnutrition in Tarrant County custody sues for records.
As I mentioned above, it’s early voting for the June runoff. In the Fort Worth Report: Early voting for runoffs begins. Here’s which Tarrant County seats are on the ballot.

… and the suburbs and suburban counties

Dallas Observer: For 4 Years, Arlington Has Provided a Peek Into a Driverless Future. May Mobility runs the Rapid shuttle service around UT Arlington.
DMN: Fairview residents challenge council’s approval of LDS temple permit. This is a “how we read the law” procedural dispute, which means it’s going to land in Attorney General Ken Paxton’s hands at some point.
DMN: New automated drone system in Prosper will enhance public safety, town officials say. My takeaway is that the drones are from Flock Safety, whom regular readers will know are a sketchy bunch.
Denton has repealed its decriminalization of marijuana. From KERA: Denton City Council repeals marijuana ordinance in split vote; and from the Dallas Observer: Denton City Council Repeals Marijuana Decriminalization Mandate. The Observer put the lede in the subhead: “After $200,000 spent fighting a lawsuit from Paxton, the Denton leaders voted to repeal a decriminalization mandate.”
KERA: Rockwall County to install Ten Commandments monument at historic courthouse. It’s similar to the one at the Capitol in Austin and the one being placed in Tarrant County.
KERA: Proposed Muslim development in Texas brings inquiries by DOJ and state officials. This is the latest update on EPIC City in Collin County.

… and the region at large …

North Texas’ park systems got kudos in a national survey recently. In Candy’s Dirt: Dallas Parks Inch Up in National Ranking; in D Magazine: Dallas’ ‘Intentional’ Approach to Increasing Parks Is Paying Off; in the Dallas Observer: North Texas Cities See Boost in Annual Park Score Ratings; in the Fort Worth Report: Fort Worth’s parks system jumps in national rankings. Here’s what changed.
DMN: How many tornadoes officially touched down during severe weather weekend in North Texas? This isn’t from Memorial Day weekend, but the weekend before. The answer is we had seven tornadoes, all west of Fort Worth, including four EF-0s and two EF-1s.
DMN: Measles outbreak raises concern for Texans with immune issues. As one of those Texans, I have to admit my response was “no kidding!”
KERA: DART paratransit workers vote to authorize strike against contractor. This is about the contractor who runs the door-to-door service for folks with disabilities in the Dallas area.
Gateway Church has a new pastor. From the Star-Telegram: Southlake’s embattled Gateway Church appoints new senior pastor; DMN: Gateway announces Virginia megachurch founder as new senior pastor.

… and other interesting things I read about the area or the state.

DMN: Here are 5 key points from Beto O’Rourke’s town hall in Garland. One of them is that he’s not running for governor, certainly not yet, but he’s definitely testing the water for something.
Wall Street Journal: Austin’s Reign as a Tech Hub Might Be Coming to an End. They cite Oracle moving its HQ from Austin to Nashville.
DMN: UTD scientists solve 100-year-old mystery behind diabetic nerve damage. I’m used to local medical research coming out of UT Southwestern, so extra kudos to UT Dallas.
DMN editorial: A ban on red flag laws in Texas is senseless, but it’s coming. This is the stuff that gets the DMN called pinko commies by the MAGA folks.
WFAA: Texas agriculture commissioner says farmers would be okay with using treated fracking water on farmland. I’m certain this is not true, and particularly not true in North Texas after the trouble we’ve had in Johnson County with treated biosolids used as fertilizer.
DMN: Tom Cruise spotted at ‘Mission: Impossible’ screenings in Dallas. Here’s where. The Cinemark on Webb Chapel, the AMC at Northpark, and Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum for barbecue.
DMN: $60, 4 animals and a dream: Curious Texas investigates the history of the Dallas Zoo. That was $60 in 1888, or a bit over $2000 in today’s money. Among the things I learned from this article was that Frank Buck, whose fictionalized exploits were shown on TV when I was a kid, was born in Dallas. When he said “Bring ’em back alive” he meant to the zoo.
D Magazine: Chili’s Is So Back. Their social media manager is a Gen Z nepo baby and doing a great job of bring his generation’s attention to Chili’s.
KERA: Step inside the Garland studio where Willie Nelson recorded Red Headed Stranger. Apparently it still smells like all the smoke from the 70s in there. (Unspecified: what kind of smoke.)
Fort Worth Report: Van Cliburn International Competition. Coverage of the piano competition in Fort Worth. It runs through the 7th, and if I were actually in Fort Worth, I’d have tickets for the finals.
Fort Worth Report: Kimbell Art Museum acquires rare Chardin painting previously caught in legal dispute. The Kimbell’s remit is to get the best available painting they can get from each artist. This is their second by this artist, which is interesting to me based on that remit.
Last, but not least, I didn’t know that bats were a thing in the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, but apparently they are! In the DMN: Texas is a batty state, but in North Texas, Fort Worth takes the cake; and the Fort Worth Report: Bats are flocking to this part of Fort Worth. Here’s how researchers are documenting it. Sadly, there are no immediate plans for bat cruises like they have in Austin.

Last week’s news – week ending 2025 05 18

This is my first shot at something I’ve wanted to do for a while: a weekly catch-up on interesting local news. I’ve done this kind of thing for a friend for several years now, but what interests his readers isn’t always what I think would interest someone from Dallas or Fort Worth. Bear with me as I get my hands around what local news looks like to local readers.

Dallas news:

Dallas Observer: Here’s Where Dallas’ Legislative Priorities Stand This Session. This is from last week, and may already be outdated as bills are falling quickly by the wayside.
KERA: Dallas tries to move forward with its police pension plan — despite tension with the board. This is a step toward ending the squabbling between the city and the pension board.
Dallas Observer: 911 Response Protocols Are ‘Outdated,’ New Dallas Police Chief Tells Council. This is about call response times, which are rising.
KERA: 3 top Dallas officials get reviews, more money after years of waiting. The city attorney, the city secretary, and the city auditor don’t have an evaluation process or regular pay increases.
Dallas Morning News: Dallas DA John Creuzot says office will seek death penalty in retrial of Texas 7 escapee. It’s the first case since Creuzot took office in 2019 where he’s sought the death penalty. One of the crimes the defendant Randy Halprin is accused of is a cop killing. The retrial is over antisemitic remarks made by the previous judge; Halprin is Jewish.
Dallas Free Press: South Dallas’ long road to community-approved zoning. Explainer about the South Dallas Fair Park Area Plan.
Two Dallas cases about Qualified Immunity were in court last week. First, in the DMN: Judge tosses excessive force suit against Dallas cops who mistook man for someone else. This is a 2021 case in federal court about Dallas PD getting the wrong man in Oak Cliff. And KERA: Texas Supreme Court dismisses lawsuit over 2018 Home Depot shooting that killed Dallas officer. This is about an officer serving a warrant while working a security job; the suspect fired on the officer and his backup, killing one of the backup officers. The theory was that an off-duty officer shouldn’t serve warrants.
And two on private transit here in town. From the Dallas Observer: Waymo Robotaxis Are Coming to Dallas, But You Won’t Be Able to Hitch a Ride. They’ll be downtown for lessons in Dallas geography and weather, not to pick up passengers. And per Tech Crunch: Uber to introduce fixed-route shuttles in major US cities designed for commuters. This started in Dallas last week.
Last but not least, from the DMN: Luka Doncic-signed ‘Fire Nico’ Dallas Mavericks jersey goes up for auction. No word on whether it said that when Luka signed it.

Fort Worth news:

Fort Worth Report: Deborah Peoples sworn into Fort Worth City Council seat. ‘I love this city’. She’s the new member for District 5, elected earlier this month.
Fort Worth Report: Fort Worth to name interim police chief as search for permanent hire kicks off.
KERA: UT Southwestern breaks ground on $177M Fort Worth cancer center.
Fort Worth Report: Mercy Culture backs church elder facing dueling reports on sexual misconduct allegations. Click through and read this, remembering that Mercy Culture 1. Is powerful enough in Fort Worth politics to make the city back down on enforcing zoning rules on them even when their neighbors support them. 2. Include a state representative as one of their pastors, and 3. Were planted by Gateway Church, which was founded by (alleged) child molester Robert Morris. (About whom more below).
Texas Monthly: Their Cows Started Dying Mysteriously. Lawmakers Are Taking Notice. This is nominally about Johnson County, its PFAS/forever chemical problem, and the bill in the Lege about it, but the biosolids made into fertilizer came from Fort Worth. The Texas Tribune also has the story: Texas bill seeking to keep toxic “forever chemicals” off farmland misses key deadline. Also related is this from Jim Hightower: Amazing Discovery: Some Washington Lobbyists and Lawmakers Have Sludge For Brains.

Dallas County news:

KERA: Texas man convicted via ‘hypnosis’ asks not to have execution date set after AG request. This is another junk science conviction out of Dallas County from back in 1999.
DMN: Dallas County will keep its police force but no longer call it ‘county marshal service’ There’s pending legislation to keep counties from having their own police, so they’re renaming the force as “fire marshal” officers.
KERA: Tensions rise between Sixth Floor Museum, Dallas County, over lease. Dallas County owns the building and the museum is out of its long-term lease. The county wants more information before they make a new one.

Tarrant County news:

The hot topic is Tarrant County redistricting, about which a longer piece is coming:
- Star-Telegram: Proposed Tarrant County commissioner precinct maps favor Republicans. Quelle surprise.
- Fort Worth Report: Arlington mayor instructs city to investigate legality of ongoing Tarrant redistricting efforts. Arlington is currently in one precinct but would be split into two precincts in the new plan.
- Fort Worth Report: Tarrant residents say their voices are going unheard in fierce debate over redistricting. Also, from KERA: Tarrant County residents pack Como Community Center for contentious redistricting hearing. These are two of the public hearings the county is having on the redistricting and it’s not popular with a lot of local voters.
- Tarrant County (Republican) Commissioner Manny Ramirez op-ed in the Star-Telegram: Conservative policy has made Tarrant strong. Let’s stay on track by redistricting | Opinion.
DMN: Partisan politics can be a tough sell in nonpartisan elections. Local political reporter Gromer Jeffers, Jr. on the heavy hand of the Tarrant County GOP.
Star-Telegram: Tarrant homeowners would see annual tax appraisals under this Texas bill. This is reversing a Tarrant County policy and it’s passed the House, so it’s still alive.

News from the suburbs and suburban counties:

The biggest story is the ongoing harassment of EPIC City:
- Three stories on the federal investigation initiated by Senator John Cornyn. KERA: Department of Justice announces investigation of Muslim EPIC City; AP: Sen. Cornyn of Texas says federal probe started into Muslim-centered community near Dallas; and Candy’s Dirt: DOJ Targets EPIC City With Housing Investigation.
- Dallas Observer: DOJ Opens Investigation Into EPIC City in Latest Development for Muslim Community. This one has a timeline in case you need to catch up.
- Star-Telegram editorial: Scrutiny of Texas Muslims’ planned town over sharia concerns is political bullying | Opinion. They’re not mincing words, but this is what everybody thinks. Some people are just OK with the bullying.
Fort Worth Report: Arlington police use drones when responding to some calls. Now the program is getting an expansion. This is for when cops are on the way; they’re not just sending the drones out there alone. Originally it was for holiday fireworks, but now they’re going to send drones out for shootings, domestic violence, burglaries, missing persons and other crimes.
KERA: Carrollton Police launches new security camera program with controversial vendor. This is integrating security cameras, like your doorbell, into the police feed. On why Flock, the vendor, is controversial, check out 404: License Plate Reader Company Flock Is Building a Massive People Lookup Tool, Leak Shows. Also from last year, on KERA: Surveillance company skirted regulations as it expanded across north Fort Worth HOAs ( Oct 9, 2024).
Star-Telegram: Meet Japanese, New York investors who own thousands of suburban Fort Worth homes. Yamasa Co Ltd. and Pretium, an investment firm, together own about $1 billion in market value, according to last year’s county appraisals. Click through to see where they’re located.
DMN: ‘Failure is fully mine’: Leaked recordings prompt apologies from Frisco council member. Tammy Meinershagen is in a runoff with an Indian (South Asian) candidate and she made comments about Indian residents not assimilating into the neighborhood. We had family in Plano from the mid-90s when I married my husband up until a few years ago, and it’s gone in that time from the suburb where the white flight was going to the suburb that the white flight is from as south Asian and east Asian residents have moved in following jobs. It’s unpleasant but unsurprising to hear this kind of racism in Frisco.
KERA: Irving’s Ethics Code could change the city’s public comment process. Starting July 1, you’ll have to tell the city if you’re paid to testify in a public comment.
Texas Tribune: The fastest-growing city in the U.S. is in Texas, and it’s not the one you’re thinking of. It’s Princeton, an hour northeast of Dallas.
Fort Worth Report: Arlington Cemetery can sell plots again after 30 years. First, the city needs new rules, guidelines. The city took it over in 1995 and has been figuring out how to get it out of abandonment under state law.
Texas Observer: Harrison the Huckster. A profile of State Rep Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian).

Regional news (including some stories from the Lege):

WFAA: Political consultant says May election results should send clear message to Republican lawmakers. The message is something like “stop lying about our schools”.
D Magazine: Bills to watch in Texas this year. The database is Dallas-centric, but unlike the Observer story, it has the current status of each bill and updates as it changes.
DMN & ProPublica: How a ‘We Buy Ugly Houses’ franchise left a trail of financial wreckage across Texas. The franchise was a Ponzi scheme.
KERA: Casino-backed Texas reps leave anti-gambling amendment out of rezoning bill, prompting criticism. This is about getting that casino that the Sands people want in Irving.
Dallas Observer: Lord Buffalo Cancels European Tour After Drummer Detained at DFW International Airport. The drummer is a green card holder and ICE grabbed him on the way out of the country. Also in the Austin Chronicle: Lord Buffalo Drummer Yamal Said, a Legal U.S. Resident, Detained by Border Officials.
D Magazine: How Much Is a Joint Replacement in North Texas? Apparently they’re more expensive here in part because you’re more likely to have the surgery done inpatient instead of outpatient or at a surgery center. Also, that’s a lot of money.
DMN op-ed: Parkland CEO: What Medicaid cuts really mean for American health. That stuff they’re labelling fraud? It’s not.
Dallas Observer: Not Your Surgeon’s Bariatrics: The Rise and Risks of Dallas’ GLP-1 Craze. Apparently bariatric surgery is down by 50-60% as patients turn to drugs to lose weight.
DMN: One man’s fight for answers from a North Texas water district. DMN’s watchdog publicizing the North Texas Municipal Water District’s refusal to provide public information to the public.
KERA: Robert Morris asked Gateway Church for millions as part of his retirement. The church said no. Finally a piece of good news from the Gateway scandal.
DMN: Daystar: Colleyville PD closes child sex abuse investigation with no charges. Also KERA: Colleyville Police close child sexual abuse probe into Daystar TV, no charges filed. Daystar is a TV network featuring evangelical pastors. The son of the founder claims a relative abused his daughter; his (remarried) mother, who runs the network, forced him out and the implication is that the suit is revenge. Under Texas law, there is no statute of limitation on cases of sexual assault by a child; if more evidence, including a statement by the victim, comes out, the case might be reopened.

May 2025 election aftermath

I waited to write this post until Monday under the assumption that we might get more analysis from Monday morning’s news. A few things were polished up (Frank Strong’s Bluesky thread is now in blog post form) but really there’s not a lot to say.

My takeaways were that first, as always, turnout in May elections is low, so the the side whose folks who are whipped up into the biggest froth win. Unsurprisingly in 2025, that’s Democrats and left-leaning folks. Second, it was a bad year to be a book banner. Frank Strong of Anger and Clarity has the throughline on that, comparing the election results to his Book-Lover’s Guide. LoneStarLeft also notes the trend against book haters. Third, a lot of incumbents in elections outside the school board races held on.

The big changes in Dallas and Fort Worth were in council elections where the incumbent retired or was termed out, or in bond elections. Frisco’s big arts bond went down, which wasn’t a surprise given the current economic situation, but a lot of the school bonds seem to have passed on the grounds that school districts better get their money while the getting is good. With vouchers coming, nobody knows what budgets will look like in a few years. Some of the Metroplex suburbs like Celina and Prosper are growing and will need new facilities. Those bond proposals made sense to voters even if the actual costs of the buildings may be more than anticipated due to tariffs and general inflation.

In Dallas, Mayor Johnson wasn’t on the ballot, and will be termed out the next time his office comes up. Incumbents held most of the seats, though we had three open: D6 in West Dallas, where Omar Narvaez was termed out, which his former staffer Laura Cadena won; D9, where Tennell Atkins was termed out, where we’ll see a runoff; and D11, where Jaynie Schultz retired, and which will also see a runoff. In Fort Worth, Mayor Mattie Parker is back for a third term; in the open D5 seat on the east side, former Tarrant Democratic Party chair Deborah Peoples emerged victorious in a six-person race; and in the open D6 seat on the southwest side, there will be a runoff. As in Dallas, the rest of the council seats were held by incumbents.

Of the school board elections, my favorite has to be Keller ISD, where one of the two board members not involved in the split plans was re-elected and the other was ousted. A third member of the board who was involved in the split chose not to run again. (Other members involved in the split plans weren’t on this year’s ballot.) Keller ISD is currently all at-large seat, but they’re under warning over that and may be sued if the school district doesn’t move to trustee districts.

I also agree with the DMN op-ed writer who thinks there’s no room in the middle any more. The middle in the Metroplex used to be the business Republican. Nobody likes those guys any more. Your choices are generally go MAGA, go left, or go home.

Dallas Morning News: Election Results | May 2025 Local.
Star-Telegram: Live election results: Tarrant County and Fort Worth city and school board races.
KERA: May 2025 Elections.
Fort Worth Report: Elections.<;i>
Candy’s Dirt: Election Day: Dallas City Council Races and Results.
Candy’s Dirt: City Hall Roundup: Election Results, Permit Ruling, DallasNow.
Dallas 2025 City Council Election Results.
DMN: Laura Cadena wins race for Dallas City Council District 6.
DMN: City Council race in North Dallas’ District 11 is headed for a runoff.
DMN: Dallas elections: DISD school board to see fresh faces.
DMN: Voters strike down Frisco arts center funding; stage set for June runoffs.
DMN: Dallas’ low voter turnout continues in city elections; lawmakers consider solutions.
DMN: Smith: In North Texas elections, there is no space for middle ground anymore.
Star-Telegram: Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker three-peats with resounding reelection victory.
KERA: Deborah Peoples wins City Council seat, will represent east Fort Worth.
Star-Telegram: How did conservative candidates fare in Tarrant County area elections?
Lone Star Left: Maga’s Very Bad Night In Texas.
Frank Strong: The Book-Loving Texan’s Guide to the May 2025 School Board Elections.
Anger & Clarity: Texas Voters Punish Book Banners at the Polls.

May 3 Election guides – 2025 05 03

On Election Day, a few more stories. If you didn’t vote early, please get out and vote!

Let’s start with couple of additional relevant voter guides for you: The Dallas Free Press’ Dallas Voter Guide and The Book-Loving Texan’s Guide to the May 2025 School Board Elections, which was being updated with new districts this week.

In other election news:

Dallas Morning News: Free rides to the polls for North Texas voters on the May 3 Election. Rideshare2Vote AWARE will take voters in Dallas, Tarrant, Rockwall and Collin counties to the polls today.
Texas Tribune: Will Saturday’s elections be the last one in May for Texas? The House is considering a bill to move May elections to November in future years.
KERA: Who is Families for Irving? What to know about the PAC backing 3 city council candidates. It was started by someone who didn’t like naughty books in the public library.
D Magazine: Two New PACs Get Busy in Dallas Elections. Steven Monacelli did the research and found one PAC was a front for the Dallas County GOP and the other was a front for AirBnB.
Related, from KERA: Political action committees spend thousands on local North Texas races. This covers the Dallas PACs, the Irving story mentioned above, and other area PACs heavily invested in the May elections. Follow the money!
DMN: Dallas City Council elections have raked in $1.6 million in donations. Follow the money here too.
KERA: North Texas voters to decide on billions in school bonds this election. A good list of the area districts trying to get their finances settled before the voucher bill kills their property tax base.
DMN: Dallas County early voting numbers spike on last day ahead of May 3 election. About 5% of Dallas County voters got in during early voting. Also on KERA: https://www.keranews.org/news/2025-04-29/dallas-countys-early-voting-turnout-ahead-of-saturdays-election-lower-than-normal. They have a less positive spin than the DMN on the same numbers. And from the Lake Highlands Advocate: Early voting turnout mixed at Audelia Road Library. That’s my local voting center, where I voted on Tuesday.
Fort Worth Report: Less than 5% of Tarrant County voted early ahead of May 3 election. It was 4.95%, so really about the same as Dallas County.
DMN: As early voting begins, Dallas County officials are confident in new check-in devices. I asked my local election workers about the new pollbooks when I voted. They were happy with them.
DMN: How partisanship could affect year’s Dallas City Council elections. Mayor Johnson’s party switch opened up the city council races; he’d been a Democrat at the state level but ran for mayor without partisan emphasis. That said, the rise of MAGA and Patriot Mobile and their local efforts on school boards here in North Texas meant it was only a matter of time until other local races developed partisan leanings as well.
Star-Telegram: Early voting started Tuesday, April 22. What to know to vote in Tarrant County. Their election catch-up and guidance on how to prepare to vote.
Mark Steger/The Wheel: LWV Forum for Richardson City Council. Steger is a blogger who covers Richardson politics and regularly attends forums and meetings.
DMN: Richardson ballot error on first day of early voting will not impact any race outcome. The first-day ballots omitted four races where the incumbents had no challengers. Oops.
Mark Steger/The Wheel: Following the Money behind Dubey’s Mudslinging. Steger chased down one of the sources of money in the Richardson mayor’s race.
Star-Telegram: Mansfield mayor calls out right-wing influence in race; challenger embraces it. The challenger has rallied with Bo French and Allen West (chairs of the Tarrant and Dallas county GOP) and the True Texas Project.
DMN: $340 million performing arts center takes center stage in Frisco election. This is half the cost of the proposed Frisco Center for the Arts.

May 3 election guides – 2025 04 22

Today is the first day of early voting for the May 3 elections and our local media sources have some campaign guides and recommendations for you.

As always, I recommend you start by looking at Vote 411, by those notorious pinko commies, the League of Women Voters. It will tell you what’s on the ballot. I only have two elections: Dallas City Council and Richardson ISD trustee. Some folks will have a lot more.

The big voter guides:

Star-Telegram.
Texas Tribune
D Magazine
Fort Worth Report.
Local real estate guide Candy’s Dirt has an election page and their elections tag covers most of the Dallas City Council elections.

Some general news about May’s elections:

D Magazine: Voter-Approved Effort to Move Dallas Elections to November Heads to Austin. This may be my last year to vote in May, at least on City of Dallas business. It’s in the hands of the Lege now.
KERA: Changes to Tarrant voting precincts won’t impact ballots. Apparently last-minute changes to Tarrant County voting precincts are required under state law.
DMN: Will Dallas voters show up to the polls for the May 3 city election? In 2023 only 8% of voters showed up for the May elections.
DMN: Smith: What it’s like to run for local office. Commentary piece about one of the candidates for city Council in McKinney.
DMN: As early voting begins, Dallas County officials are confident in new check in devices. This is the new software suppllied by KNOWiNK after the old Election System & Software pollbook barfed in the November election and was decertified by the state.

However you’re going to vote, get out there and do it. Election Day is May 3 if you can’t get out there early.