It's opening day for local races.
Hickory Creek Mayor John Smith said he plans on filing for re-election today.
"We've got a lot of big projects on the books," Smith said. "I want to see them through."
Area cities and schools will hold elections May 12, which is one of the state's two limited uniform election days.
Because of the way election law is written, Saturday was the official first filing day for local races, but few city or school district offices are open for business then. For most candidates, today is the first day they can submit their application for a spot on the ballot. The last day to file is March 5. Early voting begins April 30.
Local races are nonpartisan, and therefore unaffected by the state's redistricting plan, which remains under legal review.
County elections officials are conducting the May 12 election as a joint election, according to Denton County Elections Administrator Frank Phillips.
The May 12 election could be the first time area voters are asked to show photo identification in order to be able to vote, depending on when the Texas primary election is held and whether the U.S. Department of Justice approves the state's new voter ID law.
Phillips has seen some of the e-mails advising voters that the name on their photo ID must be an exact match with their voter registration. Elections officials are being encouraged by the Texas secretary of state's office to use common sense and not take things to the extreme, he said.
For example, a person might have their middle initial or a suffix in one form of identification but not the other.
"We have your picture ID," Phillips said. "We'll know it's you."
Two seats on the May ballot for the Denton school board elections, are Places 1 and 2, currently held by Curtis Ramsey and Jeanetta Smith.
Curtis, a retired educator, was first elected to the school board in 1994 and is now in his 18th year.
Smith, also a retired educator, was appointed to the board in October 2006 to replace her husband, Sterling, who died two months earlier. The following year she was elected to the seat and has served for nearly six years.
Neither of the board members could be reached for comment Friday.
The mayor and two at-large council seats will be on the ballot in the Denton city election.
Mayor Mark Burroughs has said he will seek a third and final term after considering a run for Congress. Burroughs, a lawyer, unseated Perry McNeill to become mayor in 2008 and won re-election two years ago.
At-large council members Pete Kamp, a businesswoman, and James King, an insurance agent, have said they plan to seek re-election.
Other area mayors are also planning on running again, including Lake Dallas Mayor Tony Marino and Sanger Mayor Thomas Muir.
Muir said he will run for re-election even though the city has been through tough times during his two-year term.
"That's what happens when you volunteer to help your community," Muir said. "There are always challenges."
County elections officials are watching developments related to redistricting and, Phillips said, are troubleshooting scenarios that could see the two elections - the Texas primary and the May 12 limited uniform election - running in close succession.
"Everything I've seen coming out of San Antonio [where redistricting is being reviewed] - the blogs and the tweets - they are cognizant that it wouldn't be the best thing to do," Phillips said.
PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881. Her e-mail address is pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com .
LOWELL BROWN can be reached at 940-566-6882. His e-mail address is lmbrown@dentonrc.com .
BRITNEY TABOR can be reached at 940-566-6876. Her e-mail address is btabor@dentonrc.com . LOCAL ELECTIONS
The filing period for local elections opened Saturday, so candidates can begin submitting their application for a place on the ballot today. The limited uniform election date is May 12; early voting begins April 30. Here are city and school board positions up for election and the current officeholders:
AREA TOWNS AND CITIES
Argyle
Place 1: Joey Hasty
Place 3: Dona Schroetke
Place 5: Jackie Thomas
Aubrey
Place 1: Deborah Goin
Place 2: Frances Carter
Place 5: Stoney Ward
Bartonville
Mayor: Ron Robertson
Place 2: Jim Farrell
Place 4: Gracie Egan
Corinth
Place 1: Randy Gibbons
Place 3: John Booher
Place 4: Joe Harrison
Cross Roads
Mayor: Ross Schraeder
At-large seat: Kim Dickey
At-large seat: Tony Russo
Dish
Commissioner: Charles Smith
Denton
Mayor: Mark Burroughs
At-large seat: Pete Kamp
At-large seat: James King
Double Oak
At-large seat: John Dondrea
At-large seat: Gary Garrett
At-large seat: Tracy Scott Miller
Hickory Creek
Mayor: John Smith
Place 2: Richard DuPree
Place 4: Paul Kenney
Krugerville
Mayor: Erich Ransleben
Place 2: Dave Hill
Place 4: Charles Brumley
Krum
Place 1: Paul Meine
Place 3: Bert Witherspoon
Place 5: Chris Rodriguez
Lake Dallas
Mayor: Tony Marino
Place 2: Carol Ann Connors
Place 4: vacant
Oak Point
At large: Colleen Cameron
At large: Lynn Harpold
At large: Keith Palmer
Pilot Point
Mayor: Janet Groff
Place 1: Michael "Champ" Walker
Place 4: Pete Hollar
Ponder
Place 1: Randy Crider
Place 3: Ryan Rouse
Place 5: Bruce Ashman
Sanger
Mayor: Thomas Muir
Place 2: Gary Bilyeu
Place 4: Andy Garza
Shady Shores
Place 1: Cindy Spencer
Place 4: Cindy Aughinbaugh
Place 5: Charles Grimes
AREA SCHOOL BOARDS
Aubrey
Place 1: Joey Saxon
Place 2: Mike Sessions
Place 3: Ron Bullock
Argyle
At-large seat: Wendee Long
At-large seat: Randy McKellar
Denton
Place 1: Curtis Ramsey
Place 2: Jeanetta Smith
Krum
At-large seat: Phil Enis
At-large seat: Mike Bullock
Lake Dallas
Place 2: Carol Jula
Place 1: Glen Gowans
Pilot Point
Place 5: Steve Klohn
Place 6: Matt Harmuth
Place 7: Dan Flagg
Ponder
Place 5: Todd Nichelson
Place 4: Dale Brown
Sanger
Place 2: Lynn Stucky
Place 3: Russel CeBallos
