By Vanesa Brashier, editor@bluebonnetnews.com
UPDATE: Janette M. Frick has withdrawn her application for Dayton City Council Position 4.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: The deadline to sign up for city council positions passed Friday, Feb. 15, with only a handful of candidates signing up to run for office in the May 4 election.
In Cleveland, one candidate per available seat signed up – incumbent Mayor Otis Cohn, Position 2 Councilwoman Marilyn Clay and Carolyn McWaters, who was previously on council and is running for Position 1, a seat currently held by Mike Penry.
In Dayton, Carolyn Wadzeck, known for her work with Dayton Historical Society and the Stars beautification project, is the sole candidate for mayor. Jeff Lambright, the current mayor, is not seeking reelection.
Position 4 of Dayton City Council will be decided among two candidates — incumbent Troy E. Barton and challenger Meadow Noyer Coward. Position 5 will be a race between incumbent John S. Johnson and challenger Janette M. Frick.
Liberty’s field of candidates for the general election includes three incumbents – Libby Simonson, Diane Huddleston and Dennis Beasley, and three challengers – Jennifer Regen, Ron Blake and Troy Beasley. Liberty City Council positions are at-large, so the three persons with the highest number of votes will be elected.
Liberty also has a special election to fill the unexpired term of Paul Glazener who resigned in November to take on the role of senior pastor of Cornerstone Church.
The deadline to run for Glazener’s unexpired term is March 4, 2019. So far only one candidate has filed for that position – Neal Thornton.
Information on other city council elections in Liberty County was not available for this article. An update will be posted when that information becomes available.