Candidates file for Young County elections in May

The candidate filing deadline for a place on the general election ballot in May ended last week across the state with local candidates filing for positions open in Young County.

The filing period for political subdivision seats up for election in May was open from Wednesday, Jan. 17 through Friday, Feb. 16. The election will take place Saturday, May 4 at polling locations around Young County.

Early voting in the election will run from Monday, April 22 through Tuesday, April 30. The last day to register to vote in the election will be Thursday, April 4.

Graham Hospital District

Graham Regional Medical Center Board of Directors will have four seats up for election in May which are held by Dr. Donald Behr, Terry Bishop, Jon Garvey and Barry Strickland. The incumbent candidates filed for reelection along with new candidate Mark Freis.

Candidates must be a resident of the Graham Hospital District and must be a registered voter. An employee of the Graham Hospital District cannot serve as director. Candidates must complete an application for a place on the ballot and submit their application to the secretary of the GRMC board of directors.

City of Graham

The Graham City Council will have three seats up for election in May which are held by Alex Heartfield, Shana Wolfe and Jeff Dickinson. Only the incumbents filed for the election.

To file for the city of Graham election, a candidate must be a resident of the city, a citizen of the United States, a qualified voter in Young County and paid all city taxes assessed against them prior to the date of the election.

Those who file must be 18 years of age or older on the first day of the term to be filled at the election or on the date of the appointment. Those filing must not have been determined mentally incompetent by a final judgment court, or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.

Those who wish to file cannot have been convicted of a felony for which the person has not been pardoned or released from the resulting disabilities.

They must have resided continuously in the state for 12 months and in the territory for which the office is elected for six months after the deadline for filing an application for a place on the ballot.

The candidate must complete an application for a place on the ballot and submit the completed application to the city secretary.

Graham ISD

The Graham ISD Board of Trustees will have two positions up for election in May which are held by Andrea Lowery and Brandon Bates. Bates filed as the incumbent for his position and new candidate John Brown filed to run for the position held by Lowery.

To file as a candidate for the GISD election a candidate must be a registered voter in Young County and must reside within the district boundaries. The candidate must complete an application for a place on the ballot and submit a completed application to the school board secretary.

Also on the May ballot for GISD will be two bond propositions, the first of which will consolidate the district from three to two elementary school campuses.

This will be accomplished by adding space at Pioneer Elementary School to serve pre-K through second grade students. Minor renovations will be completed at Crestview Elementary School to serve third through fifth grade students.

The proposition would include the demolition of the existing Woodland Elementary School campus, except for the gymnasium.

The estimated cost for Proposition A is $27,500,000 and the anticipated date of completion is August 2026.

Proposition B on the ballot will be for a student multipurpose facility which has an estimated cost of $10,500,000 and an anticipated completed date of August 2025.

Olney Hospital District

The Olney Hamilton Hospital Board of Directors will have five positions up for election in May which are held by Bob Craig, Rita Choat, Randy Whitmire, Ron Rogers and Lyndsey Miller. Only the incumbents filed for reelection.

Candidates must be a resident of the OHH hospital district and a registered voter. An employee of the hospital district may not serve as a board member. Candidates must also complete an application with the OHH administrative assistant.

City of Olney

The Olney City Council has three seats up for election in May which are held by Rue Rogers, Tom Parker and Tommy Kimbro.

A special election will be held for the unexpired term of Tom Parker whose resignation was accepted by the Olney City Council in January. The filling period for that election will be Tuesday, Feb. 27 through Monday, March 25.

Incumbent Rue Rogers and new candidate A.D. Patel filed for the position of mayor. New candidates Jackie Griffith-Voyles, Mona Bernhardt, Ruben Torres, Ronnie Cowart, Melissa Scott, Terri Wipperman and Kathy Muncy filed for the open city council position.

To file as a candidate for the city of Olney election a candidate must be a resident of the city and reside within the city limits for the preceding 12 months. The applicant must also be at least 21 years of age, registered as a voter in the state of Texas and submit a completed application for a place on the ballot to the city secretary.

Olney ISD

The Olney ISD Board of Trustees has three board members who are up for election in May which are Kenley Lane, Jodee Wales and Mark McClelland.

Incumbent Wales filed to run for his position along with new candidate Landon Rowe. Incumbent Kenley Lane filed to run for his position along with new candidate Ryan Cawthon. New candidate Hannah Stewart filed to run for the position held by McClelland.

To file as a candidate for the OISD election a candidate must be a registered voter in Archer, Baylor, Throckmorton or Young County who resides within the district boundaries. The candidate must complete an application for a place on the ballot and submit the application to the OISD election coordinator.

City of Newcastle

The Newcastle City Council has three seats up for election in May which are held by Adrian Ontiveroz, Ronnie Cavitt and Tricia Crossland.

New candidate Josh Bennett filed to run for mayor. New candidates Chad Own, Joshua Duffield, Jeff Altebaumer and James Coppersmith are running for the open city council positions.

To file as a candidate for the city of Newcastle election a candidate must be 21 years of age, reside in the city limits of Newcastle, pass a criminal background check and submit an application for a place on the ballot to the city secretary.

Newcastle ISD

Newcastle ISD has three board members who are up for election in May which are Michael Crossland, Anthony Ford and Tradd Strawbridge. Only the incumbents filed for reelection.

To file as a candidate for the NISD election a candidate must live within the NISD boundaries, complete an application for a place on the ballot and submit it to the superintendent.