Breckenridge Texan

Three local governing boards will have elections on May 2 and are currently accepting applications for the various positions that are up for election this year.

Along with the rest of Texas, Breckenridge and Stephens County have overlapping election cycles. The Stephens County election for offices such as Sheriff and County Commissioner takes place with the state and national election. The primary for that election will be on March 3. You can click here to read more about the local county election.

The other local political subdivisions, including the City of Breckenridge, school district and hospital district, are on a different schedule. The election for those entities will be on May 2 with Early Voting on April 20-28.

The City of Breckenridge, Stephens Memorial Hospital District and Breckenridge Independent School District are now accepting applications to be placed on their ballots for the May election. The filing process opened on Jan. 15 and will continue through 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14.

Each entity’s process is explained in the following paragraphs:

BRECKENRIDGE CITY COMMISSION

The City of Breckenridge offices that are up for election this year are Mayor, currently held by Bob Sims;  Commissioner Place 1, currently held by Russell Blue; and, Commissioner Place 2, currently held by Rob Durham. The election also will include a Special Election for the Sales and Use Tax.

Any qualified resident of Breckenridge may file in the City Secretary’s office, 105 N. Rose Ave., for any of the races. Qualifications for all candidates for office in Breckenridge include:

1. Be a United States Citizen;
2. Be 18 years of age or older on the first day of the term to be filled at the election or on the date of appointment, as applicable;
3. Have not been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be: totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote;
4. Have not been finally convicted of a felony from which the person has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities;
5. Have resided continuously in the State for 12 months and in the territory from which the office is elected for 6 months immediately preceding the date of the filing deadline;
6. Be a registered voter in the territory from which the office is elected as of the date of the filing deadline for a candidate’s place on the ballot.

For more information about the Breckenridge City Commission election, call Heather Robertson-Caraway, City Secretary, at 254-559-8287.

BISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES

There are two positions up for election on the Breckenridge Independent School District’s Board of Trustees — Place 6, currently held by Jeff Dooley, and Place 7, currently held by Ardes Johnson, who was appointed by the school board in November after Paige Townson resigned from her position on the board.

Applications to serve on the BISD Board of Trustees may be filed in person at the BISD central office, 208 N. Miller St. or by mail sent to BISD, Attn: Brittany Edgar, P.O. Box 1738, Breckenridge, TX 76424.

For more information about the BISD Board of Trustees election, call the BISD office at 254-522-9600.

STEPHENS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

There are four at-large positions up for election on the Stephens Memorial Hospital District’s Board of Directors. Those positions are currently held by Wade Toombs, Kevin Simmons, Todd Tidwell and Bruce Curry.

Applications to serve on the SMH District Board of Directors may be filed with the SMH District Election Clerk Susie Pennartz at 200 S. Geneva St.

For more information about the SMH District Board of Directors election, call the hospital at 254-559-2241.

EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY

Each entity will hold elections only if they have contested races for any of the positions up for reelection. In the case that elections need to be held, each governing board will hold Early Voting in April in their own locations.

The polling location/locations on Election Day will be determined by which of the three entities need to have elections.