Who’s on the Ballot for the May 3 Dallas City Council Election?
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Pour a cup of coffee and buckle up. This year’s Dallas City Council election is going to be interesting.
As Dallas faces fallout from a recently adopted comprehensive land use plan, a housing affordability crisis, and complicated matters such as parking reform and short-term rentals, there’s no shortage of real estate issues that will likely be addressed on the campaign trail. The ballot is posted as of Friday evening and 47 candidates are vying for 14 City Council seats.
District 14 Councilman Paul Ridley is the only incumbent running unopposed.
Here’s the breakdown.
District 1 – North Oak Cliff
Incumbent Chad West has filed to keep his District 1 seat. Challengers include political newcomers Jason Vanhof and Realtor Katrina Whatley.
In 2023, West avoided a runoff, garnering 2,132 votes (52.11%) over challengers Albert Mata (1,613 votes, 39.43%) and Mariana Griggs (346 votes, 8.46%).
District 2 – Deep Ellum, Old East Dallas, the Medical District
Incumbent Jesse Moreno has filed to keep his District 2 seat. Sukhbir Kaur, who ran against Moreno in 2023, is back on the ballot.
Two years ago, Moreno garnered 1,855 votes (84.86%) over Kaur’s 331 votes (15.14%).
District 3 – Southwest Dallas
Incumbent Zarin Gracey is seeking a second term. John David Sims and University of North Texas professor Jesseca Elizabeth Lightbourne are challenging.
Sims ran against Gracey in 2023, an election Gracey won in a runoff with 62.57% of the vote over five-time candidate Joe Tave.
District 3 results for the general election showed Gracey with 1,394 votes (46.22%) Tave with 777 votes (25.76%), Sims with 424 votes (14%), Denise Benavides with 317 votes (10.51%), and August Doyle with 104 votes (3.45%).
District 4 – South Oak Cliff
Dallas ISD trustee Maxie Johnson, educator Avis Hardaman, and Dallas County Sheriff’s Department employee Kebran W. Alexander are vying for the District 4 seat held by Carolyn King Arnold, who is term-limited.
Despite a proposition approved by voters in November making Arnold ineligible to seek another term, she filed paperwork but was not qualified by the city secretary. Landers M. Isom III also filed and was not qualified.
Arnold won big in 2023, bringing in 1,683 votes (64.88%) over political newcomer Jamie Smith’s 911 votes (35.12%).
District 5 – Southeast Dallas
Incumbent Jaime Resendez is hoping to keep his District 5 seat and will be challenged by nanny/secretary Elizabeth Matus. Neither candidate responded to our CandysDirt.com city council candidate survey.
Resendez was re-elected to a second term in 2023 with 53.6% (863 votes), ousting Terry Perkins (451 votes, 28.01%) and Yolanda Faye Williams (296 votes, 18.39%).
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District 6 – West Dallas
Incumbent Omar Narvaez is term-limited but his former Chief of Staff Laura Cadena is seeking to take his place. Also on the ballot are former candidate Tony Carrillo, former District 14 Councilmember David Blewett, photographer Gabriel Kissinger, former candidate Monica R. Alonzo, public speaker Machelle Wells, educator Linus Spiller, and entrepreneur Nicholas Quintanilla. There is one write-in candidate as well.
In 2023, Narvaez earned 892 votes (53.29%), defeating Alonzo (638 votes, 38.11%), Carrillo (72 votes, 4.3%), and Sidney Robles Martinez (72 votes, 4.3%).
District 7 – South Dallas/Fair Park
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Adam Bazaldua is vying for a fourth term against deputy ombudsman Jose Rivas Jr., community engagement manager O’Neil Hesson, project manager Cydney Walker, CEO Lamar “Yaka” Jefferson, and write-in candidate Marvin Crenshaw, a previous D7 hopeful.
Two years ago “Baz” earned 1,285 votes (51.57%) over Tracy Dotie Hill (988 votes, 39.65%), Crenshaw (150 votes, 6.02%), and Okema Thomas (69 votes, 2.77%).
District 8 – South Oak Cliff and Southern Dallas
Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins is term-limited but his former appointed Plan Commissioner Lorie Blair is seeking to take his seat. Blair is up against retiree Ruth Steward, Realtor Erik Wilson, low voltage technician Eugene Ralph, and former candidates Subrina Lynn Brenham and Davante Peters. Keio Demond Gamble filed for D8 but did not qualify.
In 2023, Atkins garnered 1,583 votes (78.6%) over Brenham (353 votes, 17.53%) and Peters (78 votes, 3.87%).
District 9 – White Rock Lake and Far East Dallas
Incumbent Paula Blackmon is hoping for a fourth term and is facing challenger Ernest P. Banda.
Blackmon was re-elected in 2023, garnering 3,720 votes (79.71%) over political newcomer Kendra Denise Madison’s 947 votes (20.29%).
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District 10 – Lake Highlands
Incumbent Kathy Stewart is seeking a second term, facing challenger Sirrano Keith Baldeo, who ran against her two years ago. Larius DeWayne Pullen Jr. filed but was not qualified.
Stewart handily won the 2023 race, bringing in 3,879 votes (67.87%) over Brian Hasenbauer (1,102 votes, 19.28%), Chris Carter (641 votes, 11.22%), and Baldeo (93 votes, 1.63%).
District 11 – North Dallas
Current Councilmember Jaynie Schultz announced last year that she would not seek re-election. Vying to replace the two-term councilwoman are attorney Bill Roth, public health professional Mona Andy Elshenawy, Parks and Recreation Board member Jeff Kitner, and former mayoral write-in candidate Kendal Richardson.
Schultz was re-elected in 2023 with 3,905 votes (58.63%) over CandysDirt.com publisher Candace Evans (2,755 votes, 41.37%).
District 12 – Far North Dallas
District 12 Councilmember Cara Mendelsohn ran unopposed in 2023, but she’s got two challengers this year. Financial advisor Marc Rossouw and real estate investor Jose Cavazos are seeking to unseat the incumbent.
Mendelsohn is the only CM candidate to have received the Dallas Police Association endorsement for 2025.
Mendelsohn earned 2,979 votes in the 2023 election, more than some incumbents received in contested races. District 12 includes portions of Dallas, Collin and Denton counties.
District 13 – Preston Hollow
Incumbent Gay Donnell Willis is seeking a third term at the horseshoe and will be challenged by Realtor Diane Benjamin.
In 2023, Willis earned 67.1% of the vote (5,226 ballots) over Priscilla Shacklett’s 32.9% (2,562 ballots).
District 14 – Downtown, Uptown, and Portions of East Dallas
Incumbent Paul Ridley is the only council member to run unopposed. Business owner Aimee Ramsey filed for District 14 but did not meet qualification requirements.
In 2023, Ridley garnered 3,488 votes (62.52%), defeating Amanda Schulz (1,841 votes, 33%) and Joseph F. Miller (250 votes, 4.48%).
Dallas City Council members serve two-year terms and are paid an annual salary of $60,000. Early voting begins April 21. Stay tuned to CandysDirt.com for candidate profiles.
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So Chad West only won D1 in 2023 with the approval of 176 voters? Is that the best money can buy?