City council incumbents maintain positions, yet at least two vacant seats progress to a runoff election.
Elections in Dallas took place on Saturday, and the people of this city made their voices heard about who should control the city's reins. Most of the incumbent council members kept their seats, as they managed to secure enough votes to stay in power, according to unofficial results from the Dallas County elections administrator.
However, in Districts 11, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, both fresh faces and incumbents battled it out for the chance to represent their districts.
In District 1, Chad West appeared poised to retain his seat overseeing Oak Cliff. West, first elected in 2019, has been a vocal advocate for housing and development issues in the city. He ran against Katrina Whatley and Jason Vanhof to keep control of this district.
Just over the Trinity River in District 2, Incumbent Jessie Moreno won reelection to represent parts of the central business district and Deep Ellum. Although he faced one challenger, Sukbir Kaur, who had also run unsuccessfully against Moreno in 2023, Moreno emerged victorious.
Zarin Gracey who was elected in 2023 to represent parts of southern Dallas in District 3 held on to his seat with 1,589 votes tallied in unofficial Saturday night returns.
In District 4, Dallas ISD Trustee Maxie Johnson defeated two candidates, Kebran Alexander and Avis Hardaman, to secure his victory over this district.
In southeast Dallas, incumbent Council Member Jaime Resendez appeared to be the clear favorite on election night. Resendez is noted for being relatively quiet around the horseshoe, focusing his comments and questions on specific agenda items, such as infrastructure updates for his district and weighing in on issues concerning Dallas' immigrant population.
The race for District 6 was a crowded one, with eight candidates vying for the seat left by Omar Narvaez. Laura Cadena, Chief of Staff to Narvaez, had a tight lead over her closest opponent, Monica Alonzo. Although some candidates gathered to address the environmental concerns in West Dallas and tackle the emissions from the GAF shingle factory, Cadena was not in attendance at this event, citing a pre-planned engagement.
Incumbent Adam Bazaldua appeared to have the votes on election night to fend off challenges from his two opponents in District 7. Despite the opposition campaign against him and failing to receive endorsements from major organizations, Bazaldua secured the victory.
Meanwhile, in District 8, Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins reached his term limit, leaving the district ripe for a new voice. Although Erik Wilson had a narrow lead over Lorie Blair, this race appeared likely to head into a runoff.
In District 9, Paula Blackmon won reelection with more than 3,000 votes.
Lastly, in District 11, Jaynie Schulz did not run for reelection. In the four-person field, Bill Roth and Jeff Kitner will face off in a runoff since neither candidate managed to secure over 50% of the vote.
Reporting credits: Nathan Collins, KERA News
A note on controversies surrounding charter amendments:While some sources cite a divided opinion on a controversial charter amendment passed by Dallas voters in 2024 as a pressing issue, further investigation revealed no specific Dallas-based controversial charter amendment from last year is detailed in the provided materials. The Dallas Proposition S, relating to waiving governmental immunity, garners controversy, as a state Senate bill seeks to reverse this decision. Nonetheless, conflicting reports regarding charter amendments in Dallas and other neighboring cities have generated confusion in the election coverage.
- The mayor, Tennell Atkins, has reached his term limit in District 8, leaving the district largely open for a new voice in public safety and government affairs.
- The race in District 11 for the vacant seat left by Jaunie Schulz is heading into a runoff, as Bill Roth and Jeff Kitner are the two candidates left in the competition.
- In District 7, Incumbent Adam Bazaldua has managed to secure the victory amidst opposition and lack of endorsements from major organizations.
- In the general-news, the environment has become a concern in West Dallas, with candidates such as Monica Alonzo addressing the emissions from the GAF shingle factory.
- The race for District 6 proved to be a crowded one, with eight candidates vying for the seat, Laura Cadena having a tight lead over her closest opponent.
- In the community of Oak Cliff, Chad West, who has been a vocal advocate for housing and development issues, appears poised to retain his seat in the city council in District 1.
