The Dallas City Council will see at least four new faces after the May 3 election. (Photo via ssucsy/Getty Images)
Over 40 candidates are vying for 14 Dallas City Council seats in May, with just one council member running unopposed. Here’s what you need to know.
On May 3, Dallas voters will decide who will sit on the city council for another two years.
But despite council members holding significant power in the city, voter turnout in city council elections keeps declining. Just 8% of registered voters turned out in 2023.
And as Dallas faces fallout from Propositions S and U passing — which allows residents to sue city employees and forces the city to up the police force, respectively — a lawsuit from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over weed decriminalization, a housing affordability crisis, out-dated parking codes, and an on-going battle over short-term rentals, there’s no shortage of issues that council members will have to face over the next two years.
Read on for more information about the election, who makes up the city council, what they do for the city, and more.
Are you registered?
The last day to register for the May 3 election is April 3, and early voting runs from April 22-29. Sign up to get notified when voting locations are announced.
Who makes up the city council?
The Dallas City Council consists of 15 members, including the mayor and 14 council members who reside over their respective districts across five counties.
What are the term limits?
Proposition E, which passed in November, limited city council members to a maximum of four terms lasting two years each, and the mayor a maximum of two four-year terms.
Mayor Eric Johnson won his reelection in 2023, and the next mayoral election will take place in 2027.
What’s on the ballot?
All 14 seats will be on the ballot this election.
This year, only one sitting council member — Paul Ridley, who has served two terms and represents downtown, uptown, Oak Lawn, and parts of East Dallas — is running unopposed; the other 13 face contested races.
Ten members are incumbents seeking another two-year term, and four current council members will not return: District 4’s Carolyn King Arnold, District 6’s Omar Narvaez, District 8’s Tennell Atkins, and District 11’s Jaynie Schultz.
Arnold, Narvaez, and Atkins are term limited, while Schultz has only served two terms but announced last year that she would not seek reelection.
All city and board elections in Dallas are nonpartisan.
Click here to see the over 40 candidates who will be on the ballot.
What does the city council do?
The council approves the city’s nearly $5 billion budget — the largest in the city’s history, sets the property tax rate — currently at 70.47 cents per $100 of assessed value, a decrease of 3.10 cents from the previous fiscal year, and sets various policies. Or at least tries.
The council, along with the mayor, will also hire new police and fire chiefs this year. Additionally, they approve other appointments when necessary, including the city manager and city attorney.
They can also purchase and sell property for the city, establish city departments, and approve city ordinances.
The council holds meetings twice a month on Wednesdays, where the public can attend and comment on current issues affecting the city.
Competitive races
Council member Chad West, who has served for six years, has filed to keep his District 1 seat. His challengers include two political newcomers, both with a background in real estate: Jason Vanhof and Katrina Whatley.
There are six candidates vying over District 6 in West Dallas. Narvaez is term limited, and has endorsed his current council liaison Laura Ann Cardena. She faces eight other opponents.
Council member Adam Bazaldua is seeking reelection and has represented District 7, which encompasses parts of southeast Dallas, for six years. He is also facing a large slew of challengers, with five opponents hoping to take his seat.
District 8 Council member Tennell Atkins also terms out this year. There are six candidates looking to fill the open seat, including Erik Wilson, a former council member from 2015 to 2017, and Lorie Blair, who has served on the City Plan Commission.
Council member Cara Mendelsohn of District 12, which includes parts of north Dallas, ran unopposed in 2023. But she faces two challengers this year. Financial advisor Marc Rossouw and real estate investor Jose Cavazos are aiming to take her seat.
