Final week to enter school board, council races

By Amanda Rogers

Mansfield Record

Filing for the Mansfield ISD school board and city council May 3 elections will close this week. Anyone wishing to run for a council seat or trustee position will need to file by 5 p.m. Friday.

Lance Hood, an assistant principal at Lake Ridge High School, put his name in the hat for the Place 5 race, competing against financial advisor Todd Simmons and restaurant owner Melisa Perez. The seat, currently held by Julie Short, will be open in a special election since Short has filed to run for mayor. The special election for Place 5 will be for the final two years of Short’s unexpired term.

Short will oppose current mayor Michael Evans, who is seeking re-election for his seat.

Incumbent Tamara Bounds and Lori Williams are in contention for the Place 2 position.

All positions are for three-year terms, except the Place 5 race, which will be for the final two years of Short’s term.

On the Mansfield ISD school board, Places 3, 4 and 5 will be on the ballot.

School board secretary Craig Tipping has filed to run again for Place 3, as has Jason Thomas.  

Board president Keziah Valdes Farrar (Place 4) has filed to run for another three-year term, as has Ana-Alicia Horn.

For Place 5, incumbent Bianca Benavides Anderson, Dustin McDonald and Jesse Cannon II have filed to run.

Tipping, Farrar and Anderson were all elected in 2022.

Candidates for the Mansfield ISD school board can pick up a packet at the school administration building, 605 E. Broad St. School board candidates must be at least 18 years old, have been a resident of the district for 12 months before filing and be a registered voter in the district.

Candidates for the Mansfield City Council can obtain a packet at City Hall, 1200 E. Broad St., or by contacting the City Secretary at 817-276-4203. Council candidates must be a city resident for at least 12 months before the election and be a qualified Texas voter.

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