Breckenridge Texan

Breckenridge and Stephens County citizens have an upcoming opportunity to take an active part in the local government by applying for positions on the three local governing boards that will have elections on May 1. The Breckenridge City Commission, Breckenridge Independent School District Board of Trustees and the Stephens Memorial Hospital District Board of Directors are currently accepting applications for the various positions that are up for election this year.

BRECKENRIDGE CITY COMMISSION

The Breckenridge Commission offices that are up for election this year are Place 3, currently held by David Wimberley, and Place 4, currently held by Tom Cyprian.

The filing process opened on Jan. 13 and will continue through 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12. 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 Diane Latham, Assistant City Secretary, at 254-559-8287.

BISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES

There are three positions up for election on the Breckenridge Independent School District’s Board of Trustees — Place 1, currently held by School Board President Graham Reaugh, and Place 2, currently held by Paul Lippe.

The filing process opened on Jan. 13 and will continue during regular office hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday) through 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12.  The last day to file a declaration of write-in candidacy is Feb. 16, 2021.

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.

To be eligible to be a candidate for, or elected or appointed to, the office of school board member, a person must:

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. A person is ineligible to serve as a member of the board of a district if the person has been convicted of a felony or an offense under Penal Code 43.02(b) (prostitution).
5. Have resided continuously in the state for 12 months and in the territory from which the office is elected for six months immediately preceding the following date: a. For an independent candidate, the date of the regular filing deadline for a candidate’s application for a place on the ballot. b. For a write-in candidate, the date of the election at which the candidate’s name is written in. c. For an appointee to an office, the date the appointment is made.
6. Be registered to vote in the territory from which the office is elected on the date described at item 5, above.

For more information about the BISD Board of Trustees election, visit the BISD’s Board of Trustees website page or call the BISD office at 254-522-9600, ext. 6002.

STEPHENS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

There are three at-large positions up for election on the Stephens Memorial Hospital District’s Board of Directors. Those positions are currently held by Tom Echols, Kaylee Curtis and Gregg Goodall.

The filing process opened on Jan. 13 and will continue through Friday, Feb. 12.  The last day to file a declaration of write-in candidacy is Feb. 18, 2021.

Applications for a place on the ballot are available at Stephens Memorial Hospital, 200 S. Geneva St. Applications must be turned in to and accepted by Shaun Lehr, administrative assistant.

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. Election Day will be Saturday, May 1.

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