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Arlington professor expects low turnout in 'business as usual' city races. What's on the ballot.

Voting machines
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Early voting begins Monday (April 24) and runs through May 2. Election day is May 6.

Arlington might have a quieter election season compared to 2021, when Mayor Jim Ross won his first term and several council seats were up for grabs, according to UTA professor Thomas Marshall.

Arlington’s District 3 race between former council member Marvin Sutton and first-term incumbent Nikkie Hunter will be a close election, according to Thomas Marshall, a UT Arlington political science professor.

Both candidates won their respective elections by a couple hundred votes. And both are recognizable.

“Both of them have been in office. Nikkie won 56-44 last time, so it wasn’t a blowout. I see that one is really, you know, the one to watch in all of Arlington.”

Arlington residents will vote for four council members and mayor this spring. Early voting begins Monday and runs through May 2. Election day is May 6. Tarrant County’s elections website has a list of vote centers.

District 3 covers Arlington east of Matlock Road and south of Pioneer Parkway.

Voters in District 4, which covers west Arlington, will choose between two-term incumbent Andrew Piel and Chris “Dobi” Dobson, who has run in municipal and state elections since 2012. He ran for the at-large District 6 city council seat but lost in the general election.

Rebecca Boxall, District 5 council member, is running unopposed to represent downtown and East Arlington. The area is north of Pioneer Parkway, east of Bowen Road and south of Division Street.

All voters will select a District 8 council member and mayor. Voters will choose between incumbent Jim Ross and first-time candidate Amy Cearnal in the mayor’s race. In District 8, first-time candidate David Mosby is running against two-term incumbent Barbara Odom-Wesley.

Marshall said he expects lower voter turnout than the crowded 2021 elections. For example, the mayor's race then drew eight general election candidates, and District 3 drew five. Now, with incumbents in all seats up for election this year, there's likely less excitement.

"We're looking at the same thing we're looking at in Fort Worth and San Antonio and Dallas. And contrast that to Houston, if you will, where they've got an open race and some very lively things going on. I think we're back to business as usual in Arlington," Marshall said.

Residents will also decide whether the city commits $278 million in bond funding to city projects. Proposition A, the largest proposal, would go towards several major road reconstruction projects, as well as residential rebuilds.

Other bond package projects include:

  • Construction of a north police substation and evidence storage facility across from Hurricane Harbor AT 1715 E. Lamar Blvd.
  • Fire Station No. 18 at 2015 Mayfield Rd.
  • A $7 million new aquatic facility at Woodland West Park Aquatic Center.

Got a tip? Email Kailey Broussard at kbroussard@kera.org. You can follow Kailey on Twitter @KaileyBroussard.

KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, considermaking a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.

Kailey Broussard is a reporter for KERA and The Texas Newsroom through Report for America (RFA). Broussard covers the city of Arlington, with a focus on local and county government accountability.