MUNICIPAL ELECTION – MAY 10, 2008

The Current Mayor and City Council are as follows:

The annual municipal election is scheduled for Saturday, May 10, 2008, to elect a Mayor and Councilmembers for Places 2, 3, 4 and 5. In 2008, the terms for the Mayor and City Council, Place 2, are for one-year periods to fill unexpired terms and will expire in May 2009. The terms for City Council, Places 3, 4 and 5 are for full two-year periods and will expire in May 2010.

Municipal elections are held each year on the second Saturday in May to elect Councilmembers. Typically, in even-numbered years, elections are held to elect Councilmembers for Places 3, 4 and 5; in odd-numbered years, elections are held to elect the Mayor and Councilmembers for Places 1, 2 and 6. The Mayor and Places 5 and 6 are considered at-large positions. Councilmembers elected to fill Places 1, 2, 3 and 4 are required to live in their respective districts; however, all places are voted into office by the entire City electorate. All positions serve for two-year terms, unless vacancies or resignations require that the positions be filled to complete unexpired terms, as is the case this year. The City Charter requires that vacancies for Mayor and Council be filled at the next municipal election and the candidates elected shall serve for the remaining terms of office.

The City Charter also requires that the district boundaries be reviewed every three years for even distribution of population. The districts were last reviewed in November 2005 and Ordinance No. 3777 was adopted revising the shared boundaries between Council Districts 3 and 4. State law was changed in 1995 to allow all local governments to cancel elections if all places on the ballot are unopposed. In May 2007, the General Election was cancelled because there was no opposition in any of the four races and the Mayor and Councilmembers for Places 1, 2 and 6 were declared elected to office.

The City contracts with the Dallas County Elections Department to conduct joint elections along with approximately 35 other entities. Participating in joint elections enables the City to reduce election expenses and is more convenient for voters. Voters can go to one location and vote on all candidates/issues that are common to the precinct in which they live. In other words, voters are able to vote for municipal candidates and school board trustees, if applicable, at the same location.

Early voting will be held in Mesquite at Dunford Community Center, 1015 Green Canyon, as follows:

• Monday, April 28, 2008, and continuing through Friday, May 2, 2008, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.;
• Saturday, May 3, 2008, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.;
• Sunday, May 4, 2008, between 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., and
• Monday, May 5, 2008, through Tuesday, May 6, 2008, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Early voting by personal appearance will also be held at the main early voting location at the Dallas County Records Building, 509 Main Street, Dallas, Texas, 75202, and at approximately 34 additional branch locations throughout the County. Qualified voters in Dallas County and the portion of Kaufman County located within the City of Mesquite may vote early at any one of these locations. Applications for ballots by mail should be mailed to Bruce Sherbet, Dallas County Elections Administrator, 2377 N. Stemmons Freeway, Suite 820, Dallas, Texas, 75207, and must be received by Dallas County no later than May 2.

Early voting locations

For additional information regarding early voting or election day polling locations contact the City Secretary's office at 972-216-6244.

On election day, results can be accessed on Dallas County's Web site at www.dalcoelections.org and on the City’s Web site.

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