Latest news with #MansfieldCityCouncil
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Simmons leads Perez in Mansfield Place 5 early voting results
Todd Simmons declared victory in the Mansfield City Council Place 5 race over opponent Melisa Perez on Saturday night after the final unofficial polling data came in. Simmons led with 62.64% of the Tarrant County unofficial results over Perez's 37.36% in the race. Johnson County unofficial polling data shows Simmons with 333 votes over Perez's 58. In Ellis County, unofficial election results show Simmons as having 75.86% of the 29 votes cast. The Saturday runoff election was the result of no one candidate receiving more than 50% of the votes on May 3. There were four candidates on the ballot in May: Eric Rozak, Lance Hood, Simmons and Perez. Perez had 39.79% of the Tarrant County vote in Place 5, followed by Simmons with 35.58%, Hood with 15.57% and Rozak with 9.06%. Tarrant County saw 8,289 of the total 9,495 voters for the Place 5 race. In Ellis County, Simmons has 42.62% of the vote, Perez has 29.51%, Hood has 16.39% and Rozak has 11.48%. In Johnson County, Simmons leads with 45.43%, followed by Hood with 25.12%, Perez with 21.70% and Rozak with 7.76%. The candidate who wins will take over the position for Julie Short, who won the seat in 2018. Short left the post before her term expired to run for Mansfield mayor against incumbent Michael Evans but lost. Simmons, a financial adviser, ran to help guide Mansfield's path as the city grows. He said in a Star-Telegram survey that his top three policy priorities would be to fully evaluate any project proposed for fiscal and community impact; strive for diversifying the tax base and continue to lower the tax rate; and ensure public safety and municipal employees are earning a competitive salary. He said that when he saw the early voting results, he was 'jumping up and down' with glee. He said he thinks he's 'got a real chance.' 'I tried not to react to a lot of the negative stuff that was being said and just focus on what my priorities were, what my plans were going to be if I did get elected,' Simmons said. 'And I really think it resonated with people in Mansfield. I think they're just tired of the ugly, mean, nasty campaigns and just wanted to see change.' Simmons said that if elected, his first priority is to start working with the city council to bring in new businesses, diversify the tax base and make sure that any new developments are properly approved. 'What this current council is trying to do is work with property owners and new businesses to come to town to try to negotiate deals, or not negotiate deals, but put deals together to try to get some of these pre-approved developments off the books,' Simmons said. 'And so I definitely think we need to work on that, because the city cannot request a zoning change from a property owner. It's not legal. The property owner has to do that.' Perez, an entrepreneur, ran for Place 5 promising to ensure responsible growth, strengthen public safety and support local businesses. Her website says her 'leadership is defined by her unwavering commitment to fairness and ethical integrity.' It also says she has a strong 'belief in consistency and accountability,' which shapes her decision making and community service.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Primary election: Richland County Board of Elections certifies petitions
Most Richland County voters will see an issues-only ballot in the May 6 primary election. The county board of elections met Tuesday morning to certify petitions for those candidates who filed by the Feb. 5 deadline. Matt Finfgeld, director of the board of elections, said 1st Ward residents in Mansfield would have Republican, Democrat and issues-only ballots, while Ontario voters will consider Republican and issues-only ballots. Other municipalities will see issues-only ballots. Mansfield City Council will have three contested races. Incumbent 1st Ward Councilwoman Laura Burns previously said she would not seek another term. Four candidates want to replace her. The Republican contenders are former Safety-Service Director Lori Cope and businessman Mike Miranda. Two Democrats seeking the seat are Amy Rainey and Amber Thompson. An interesting race is shaping up for council at-large, where Republican Shari Robertson, the former police captain who replaced Stephanie Zader last fall when Zader resigned, will face longtime councilman and current President Phil Scott, a Democrat. They will both move on to the November general election. In the 3rd Ward, Republican incumbent El Akuchie and Democratic challenger Crystal Davis Weese will face off in November. In the 5th Ward, incumbent Aurelio Diaz, who previously ran as a Democrat, will run as an independent. His challenger will be Democrat Joetta McCruter-Polk. Four candidates are vying to be mayor of Ontario. Republican Kris Knapp was selected to replace Randy Hutchison when the latter stepped down last summer. He is being challenged by Councilman Josh Bradley and Troy Sapp. Cody Zeigler is the lone Democrat on the ballot. No one filed to be Ontario's auditor. "There's no fatal flaws on the petitions," Finfgeld said. "All of them have enough valid signatures." The city of Shelby has a filing deadline of Feb. 20. Four of the five council incumbents have filed as the only candidates in their respective wards. They are Steve McLaughlin, at-large; Derrin Roberts, 2nd Ward; Eric Cutlip, 3rd Ward; and Nathan Martin, 4th Ward. 1st Ward incumbent Charlie Roub pulled petitions but had not submitted them as of Tuesday morning. There are a number of issues on the May 6 ballot, including two for the city of Mansfield. Voters are being asked to approve a pair of four-year renewal levies. Both are 0.25% income tax issues. One would generate money for safety forces, parks and recreation, street lights and demolitions of vacant properties and blight, the so-called PRIDE tax. The second issue would be for the rehabilitation and repair of streets and park roads, the so-called pothole haters tax. Madison Township is asking voters to approve a 5.5-mill, continuous improvement levy for operations at the fire department. The same issue was rejected last November. Other tax issues in Richland County include the following: The village of Plymouth has two issues: A 1-mill, five-year renewal levy to operate and maintain the cemetery and a 2-mill, five-year additional levy to support the police department. Mifflin Township voters will consider a 2.7-mill, five-year renewal levy for current expenses. Weller Township is asking voters to approve a 3-mill, five-year renewal levy for the fire department. Lucas Local Schools is asking for approval of a 6-mill, five-year renewal levy to avoid an operating deficit. Marvin Memorial Library in Shelby has a 1.75-mill, five-year renewal levy for current expenses. mcaudill@ 419-521-7219 X: @MarkCau32059251 This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Board of elections certifies petitions for May 6 primary election
