Early voting begins in Amarillo City Council Place 3 runoff
Early voting is now underway in the Amarillo City Council Place 3 runoff between incumbent Tom Scherlen and challenger David Prescott — a rematch prompted by a razor-thin margin in the May 3 general election.
Scherlen led the three-way race with 7,748 votes (47.4%) but fell short of the required majority. Prescott followed with 7,433 votes (45.5%), while third-place candidate Nune Perez earned 1,157 votes (7.1%). With fewer than 350 votes separating the top two contenders, the runoff is expected to be one of the city's most competitive council races in recent years.
Scherlen, a longtime Amarillo resident and former CEO of a local company, is seeking re-election on a platform focused on infrastructure upgrades, increased public safety staffing, and fiscally responsible budgeting. He points to ongoing capital projects and continuity on the council as reasons for voters to retain his leadership.
Prescott, a business owner and environmental consultant, moved to Amarillo in 1990 and emphasizes strategic infrastructure investments and long-term financial planning. He holds multiple degrees from West Texas A&M University and chairs the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists, with appointments by two governors. Prescott is also active on several nonprofit boards and regional initiatives.
Early voting runs through Tuesday, June 3. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday this week and again next Monday and Tuesday. There will be no voting on the weekend of May 31–June 1. Election Day is Saturday, June 7, with polling places open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Potter County early voting locations:
Santa Fe Building (main location): First Floor, Ticket Office, 900 S. Polk St.
Casey Carpet One: 3500 I-40 West Frontage Rd.
Cornerstone Outreach: Fellowship Room, 1111 N. Buchanan St.
Northwest Branch Library: Meeting Room, 6100 SW 9th Ave.
Tri-State Fairgrounds Extension Office: 3301 SE 10th Ave.
Randall County early voting locations:
Randall County Election Administration Office (main location): 1604 5th Ave., Canyon
Randall County Annex: 4320 S. Western St., Amarillo
Southwest Branch Library: 6801 SW 45th Ave., Amarillo
Comanche Trail Church of Christ: 2700 E. 34th Ave., Amarillo
All locations will be open May 27–30 (Tuesday through Friday) and June 2–3 (Monday and Tuesday) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This is Scherlen's first runoff campaign. In the 2023 city election, he won his seat outright while two other council races advanced to runoffs. Josh Craft defeated Dean Crump for Place 1 with 60% of the vote, while Les Simpson beat Claudette Smith for Place 4 with 60.4%. Simpson went on to win re-election this May with 69% of the vote — the widest margin among contested council races.
Voters must present an approved form of identification to cast a ballot. For more information on polling sites, sample ballots, or voting eligibility, visit amarillo.gov/elections.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Early voting begins in Amarillo City Council Place 3 runoff election
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