LANCASTER—Municipal and local school board elections are just weeks away. Yet there are still a number of candidate forums before area residents make their way to the polls. Tomorrow the Lancaster forum will take place. Organizers hope the debate will give voters an idea about what each candidate has in mind for the city.
Current Mayor Marcus Knight affirms that he is not seeking re-election. Candidates vying to take that seat are Spencer Hervey, Clyde C. Hairston, Carolyn Ann Morris, Vic Buchanon, Belinda Tucker, and Ty G. Jones, as listed on the ballot.
“We have an unusual number of candidates running for City positions,” said local business owner Barbara Thomas. Barbara Thomas, of the Tattered Jacket Bookstore located in the Historic Town Square is helping spearhead the event.
The mayoral race in Lancaster is one of the more active in many years with the six candidates running for Mayor. As well as the three candidates for City Council District 4 and 5 respectively.
The vacancies for Lancaster City Council District 4 and 5 are the result of the current members resigning to run for Mayor. In District 4 council candidates are Derrick D. Robinson, Regina Wren and Pamela Davis.
Candidates for City Council District 5, Hairston’s former seat, are LaShonjia Harris, LaFayette Miles and Racheal Hill.
Lancaster ISD candidates for District 1 are Brittnee Ford, Marion Hamilton, and Rebecca Glover. In Lancaster ISD District 2, Cynthia Corbin-Jarvis is running alone.
The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the “Meet the Candidates” forum. Each candidate will be featured at the Saturday morning forum from 10 a.m. to Noon. The public is encouraged to attend at the Elsie Robertson Middle School Auditorium, 822 Pleasant Run Road.
Duncanville Will Also See A New Mayor
Longtime Duncanville Mayor David Green will not be seeking re-election. In fact, there are no incumbents seeking re-election in Duncanville. Seats up for grabs include city council districts 2 and 4.
Running for Mayor is Janet Lemisy Harris, Matthew Jones and Barry L. Gordon.
In District 2, now held by Steven Rutherford, the candidates are Misty Bain and Don McBurnett. In Ronald Dobson’s district 4 seat, the candidates are Mark D. Cooks, Brenda O’Brien and Jeff Burton.
The Duncanville ISD had two seats open, but both candidates were unopposed, so the election was cancelled. Place 6 Janice Savage-Martin and Place 7 Carla Fahey will remain in those seats for another term.
DeSoto Cancels Council Election
DeSoto’s City Council election was cancelled with no challengers for the two. Candice Quarles will sit in the Place 6 seat again as will Kenzie Moore, III in the Place 7 seat for another term.
The City of DeSoto will have a special election on May 5th to consider amendments to the City Charter.
Cedar Hill Will See New Council Member
City Council Place 1 Jami McCain running with is unopposed. Place 4 Chris Parvin is not seeking re-election. Two candidates hoping to take that seat are Valerie Lynn Banks and Chad Avery McCurdy.
The Cedar Hill ISD cancelled its election since Places 6 and 7 incumbents were also running unopposed.