Four boards to hold contested elections in May

Four local governments will hold elections this May following the last day of filing for office Monday.

Two candidates have emerged to run for mayor of Clarendon. Incumbent Chris Ford filed for re-election, and Alderman Tommy Hill also is running for the city’s top spot.

On the Board of Aldermen, a four-way race for two seats has developed. Alderman Terry Noble withdrew his earlier candidacy for mayor and re-filed to run for the board. Alderman Ann Huey is also seeking re-election. Nobel and Huey are being challenged by Larry Hicks and Jeff King.

The City of Howardwick has only one candidate for mayor, Dell Essary, but drew three candidates for two positions on the Board of Aldermen. Incumbent Gene Rogers will be joined on the ballot by Norm Haygood and Louise Popplewell.

Five candidates will vie for two positions on the Hedley School Board, and none of them are incumbents. Travis Thomas, Shelby Shipp, Carole Ward, Gwynne Howard, and Lana Wright have all filed to run for the Board of Trustees.

Two positions on the Board of the Donley County Hospital District will be contested, and a third is uncontested. Billy Ray Johnston and Jennie Owens are running for the Place One position, and Tammy Owen and Bright Newhouse III are running for Place Two. Those positions are currently held by Don Thornberry and Alan Fletcher, neither of whom is running for re-election. Incumbent Melinda McAnear is the only candidate for Place Three on the hospital board.

Two other local governments did not draw enough candidates to have contested races and will likely cancel their elections this year if no write-in candidates emerge.

Clarendon ISD had two positions up on its Board of Trustees, and only Wes Hatley and incumbent Wayne Hardin filed to run.

The City of Hedley had three positions open on the Board of Aldermen, and all three incumbents – Bruce Howard, Travis Ruthardt, and Colleen Owens – filed for re-election.
All local offices are elected at-large, but hospital board candidates must sign up for a specific place. Elections will be held Saturday, May 9.