Dallas voters produced City Council turn over in Saturday’s election and the chance for more change with 3 run offs required to select final winners. A pending investigation of possible mail in ballot fraud could change the participants in one of those run offs.
First term Dallas City Council Member Carolyn King Arnold was defeated by her predecessor, Dwaine Caraway in a successful come back after 8 prior years as the District 4 representative. The unofficial margin of victory was 53% to 47%.
Caraway endorsed Arnold two years ago when he was term limited from running again. The two turned against each other as Caraway complained about Arnold’s performance.
Incumbent Council Members Monica Alonzo, Tiffinni Young and Erik Wilson each faced multiple challengers and each failed to get 50% of the vote.
In District 6, Alonzo received 39% with Dallas County Schools Board Member Omar Narvaez coming in second with 27%.
In District 7, Young received 37% and second place finisher Kevin Felder had 24%.
In District 8, Wilson came in second with 37% to his predecessor Tennell Atkins with 42%.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Alonzo, Young and Wilson all received substantial additional support for their campaigns from a political action committee called “For Our Community.” The PAC also supported District 14 challengers Matt Wood who lost to Councilman Philip Kingston by a margin of 55% to 42%.
“The message is you can’t buy District 14,” Kingston said. “You can spend as much money as you want and we’re still going to go with someone who is an independent voice for grass roots change.”
The PAC paid for attack ads against Kingston, accusing him of rude behavior at City Hall, for which Kingston offered no apology.
“No one would sit quietly by when there’s a back room deal. That’s not how city hall is supposed to work,” Kingston said.
An April 28 report showed the PAC still had nearly $200,000 in the bank to spend, presumably leaving some for run-off elections.
Other Dallas City Council incumbents who faced challengers won Saturday including Scott Griggs, Casey Thomas, Rickey Callahan, Mark Clayton and Lee Kleinman. Adam McGough, Sandy Greyson and Jennifer Staubach Gates were unopposed.
Dallas County Election officials said results of Saturday’s election will remain unofficial as a mail in ballot ballot fraud investigation continues.
Hundreds of ballots sent to senior citizens are in question, most of them for West Dallas District 6. Third place finisher Alex Dickey in that district was just 48 votes behind the second place candidate Omar Narvaez so the mail in ballot investigation could have impact on who competes in the run-off. Monica Alonzo was just 224 votes ahead of Narvaez.
