Early voting starts Monday, April 22

Early balloting starts Monday, April 22, for voters in Howardwick, Clarendon, and the Clarendon school district.

Howardwick citizens will be selecting a new mayor as four people seek to succeed Mayor Greta Byars, who is not seeking re-election. Those candidates are Alderman Brice Hawley, Tony Clemishire, Coy Cooper, and Jeramy “J.D.” Kindle.

Also on the Howardwick ballot, five people are running for two positions on the city council. Alderman Johnny Floyd is joined on the ballot by Beverly McCaskill, Erica Mills, Tammy Jordan, and Jerry Mullanax.

Four candidates are also seeking three positions on the Clarendon CISD Board of Trustees. Incumbents Robin Ellis, Chuck Robertson, and Will Thompson are joined on the ballot by challenger Zack Robinson. The top three candidates will be elected to that board.

Clarendon citizens have no candidates to choose from but are being asked to decide a sales tax question. If voters give their approval, the ballot measure would redirect the city’s current 0.5 percent sales tax that is dedicated to property tax reduction and reallocate that with a 0.25 percent sales tax going exclusively to street maintenance and 0.25 percent sales tax going to the city’s general revenue. The city’s overall sales tax rate of 2.0 percent will not change regardless of the election outcome.

Clarendon and public school voters will cast ballots at the Donley County Courthouse Annex, and Howardwick citizens will vote at their City Hall.

Early balloting continues through April 30. Election Day will be Saturday, May 4.