Deadline to run for local office this Friday

With just hours left for candidates to sign up, it appears no local governments will be having elections this year due to a lack of candidates.

The sign-up deadline is this Friday, February 27; and as the Enterprise goes to press Tuesday afternoon, only one of five governments even have enough candidates to fill all the seats that are up this spring.

The City of Clarendon has the mayor and two aldermen positions, and Mayor Larry Hicks and Alderman Sandy Skelton are running for re-election. Britton Hall has also signed up to run for alderman.

The City of Howardwick has its mayor and two aldermen positions up. Mayor Mike Rowland is running, and so is Alderman Gail Leathers.

Clarendon ISD has two board positions up for election, and only Wayne Hardin had signed up for re-election at press time.

Hedley ISD has two positions up also, and only Dana Bell is seeking re-election.

Three seats are up on the board of the Donley County Hospital District. Wayne Tubbs (Place One) and Melinda McAnear (Place 3) have signed up to run again. Carey Wann in (Place Two) had not filed at press time.

Hedley has three seats on its board of aldermen up this year, and no one has filed for those positions. If at least one person doesn’t sign up there, that board could lose its quorum and be unable to meet.

All local boards are elected on an at-large system, although hospital board members do have to run for a specific place on the board. All positions are two-year terms except school board members, which serve three-year terms.

Applications and more information are available at each entity’s administrative office.

Filing continues through February 27, 2015. This year’s elections will be held on May 9. Local boards will likely cancel uncontested elections.