City Elections

Master list of all the candidates in the May 2019 Dallas elections

Many vying to get into this building.

Photo courtesy of Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau

The paperwork is in for individuals running for Dallas City Council, and a record number of candidates have filed.

The deadline to file was February 15. Candidates have the option to withdraw by February 22. Otherwise their names will appear on the ballot. The election is on May 4.

Given the bounty of candidates, a runoff election seems almost certain for some of the seats. The mayor's race has a whopping 12 candidates, with many heavyweights seeking the helm.

Some of the highlights include:

District 1 City Council member Scott Griggs is running for mayor, and five first-time candidates are aiming to fill his spot to cover North Oak Cliff.

District 4 City Council member Carolyn King Arnold is again being challenged by Keyaira Saunders. They faced off last fall during a special election which ended in a runoff that Arnold won.

District 7 has an unusually large slate of nine candidates vying to replace incumbent Kevin Felder, representing Fair Park and South Dallas.

District 9 which covers Lakewood has five candidates to replace Mark Clayton, who is not seeking reelection~~, including Paul Sims, who serves on the Park and Recreation Board~~. *On February 22, Sims withdrew from the race, stating that the timing wasn't right.

Districts 8, 11, and 13 have the smallest number of candidates, with each drawing only one challenger to unseat the incumbent.

Along with Mark Clayton, Sandy Greyson (D12) and Ricky Callahan (D5) are not seeking reelection.

The full list is below. We've highlighted the best candidate in each race. Names are spelled as the candidates requested to appear on the ballot, including middle names and nick names. A map showing locations of each district can be found here.

Mayor candidates
Michael B. Ablon. Real estate developer, managing development of the Trinity River park.
Albert C. Black Jr. Oak Cliff businessman.
Regina Montoya Coggins. Former assistant to Bill Clinton.
Scott Griggs. City Council member for District 1 since 2011, saver of taxpayer money.
Eric Johnson. Member of the Texas House of Representatives, backed by meddling "business elite."
Alyson Y. Kennedy. Candidate from the Socialist Workers Party, also ran for U.S. President.
Debra L. McBee. AKA, Lynn McBee, philanthropist and Highland Park resident.
Miguel E. Solis. Member of the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees.
Jason Villalba. Attorney, former member of Texas House of Representatives.

District 1
Sylvana Alonzo. Sister-in-law to former council member (and current candidate) Monica Alonzo.
Jeremy T. Boss. Founder of Dowdy Ferry Animal Commission, warrior against animal cruelty.
Giovanni "Gio" Valderas. Artist and former member of Dallas Cultural Commission.
Chad A. West. Attorney and small business owner, member of City Plan Commission.

District 2
Barbara Eastwood Coombs. Owner of Environmental Benchmarking, a consulting firm.
Paul A. Freeman. Former member of Dallas County School Board and chair of the Budget/Finance Committee during the corruption scandal.
Adam Medrano. Beloved incumbent since 2013.

District 3
Denise Benavides. Activist and former president of LULAC Grand Prairie.
Charletta Rogers Compton. District 7 member of the Dallas County Community College District Board of Trustees.
Davante D. Peters. Community organizer, youngest candidate.
Britannica Scott. Supervisor for Dallas Independent School District, community advocate.
Casey Thomas. Incumbent since 2015.

District 4
Carolyn King Arnold. Incumbent since 2018.
Dawn M. Blair. Property manager for city of Dallas Department of Aviation, also ran in 2018.
Karon "K" Flewellen. Salon owner, motivational speaker, and community activist.
Obi E. Igbokwe. Club owner, also ran in 2018.
Keyaira D. Saunders. Member of Next Generation Action Network activist group, came in second in 2018.
Asa O. Woodberry. Newbie who tried unsuccessfully to run in 2018.

District 5
Jaime Resendez. Member of the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees since 2016.
Ruth Torres. Author and founder of SuccessfulCareers.org an academic intervention and motivation program for at-risk youth.
Yolanda Faye Williams. Member of the Park and Recreation Board since 2014.

District 6
Monica R. Alonzo. Ex-council member, trying to regain seat she lost to Omar Narvaez.
Tony Carrillo. Returning candidate from 2017, when he earned 42 votes.
Omar Narvaez. Popular incumbent since 2017.

District 7
Adam Ryan Bazaldua. Teacher and community advocate who ran in 2017.
Sandra Crenshaw. Served on City Council previously, has run for Texas House of Representatives twice.
Kevin Felder. Incumbent since 2017.
Yvette Gbalazeh. Best known as Deep Ellum street character "Will Rap 4 Weed."
Calvin D. Johnson. Lawyer, radio talk show host.
Sade' Johnson. "The People's Progressive Candidate," co-founder of non-profit Helping Hands Healing Hearts.
Korey Deon Mack. Admissions officer at St Marks School of Texas, served on City Plan Commission.
Joseph Thomas. Video specialist for the City of Dallas, associate minister at College Park Baptist Church.
Tiffinni A. Young. Former one-term council member trying to get seat back.

District 8
Tennell Atkins. Incumbent since 2017.
Erik Wilson. Former council member running to get his seat back.

District 9
Paula Blackmon. Former assistant to Mayors Rawlings, Leppert.
Tamara "TAMI" Brown Rodriguez. Has four names.
Sarah Lamb. Founder of Lakewood Citizens For Responsible Traffic.
Erin Moore. Former president of Dallas Stonewall Democrats, executive assistant to Dallas County Commissioner Theresa Daniel.
~~Paul Sims. Member of Dallas' Park and Recreation Board, married to former council member Angela Hunt~~.
~~Jacinto Valdespino. DISD teacher.~~

District 10
D'Andrala "DeDe" Alexander. Mental health clinician for Dallas County Juvenile Department.
Sirrano Keith Baldeo. Independent Christian conservative, publisher at Dallas Pulse News.
Adam McGough. Recumbent since 2015.

District 11
Curtis T. Harris. Juvenile detention officer at Dallas County Juvenile Justice; ran for constable in November.
Lee M. Kleinman. Incumbent since 2013.

District 12
Cara Mendelsohn. Executive Director at Rebuilding Together North Texas, has served on multiple homeless-related boards.
Carolyn "Cookie" Peadon. Served on City Plan Commission, endorsed by outgoing incumbent Sandy Greyson.
Daniel Powell. Has served on 5 different boards and committees including Civil Service Board.

District 13
Jennifer Staubach Gates. Incumbent since 2013.
Laura Miller. Former mayor from 2002-2007, former city council member.

District 14
David Blewett. Repeat candidate ran in 2013.
Warren Ernest Johnson. Confederate statue fan.
Phillip Kingston. Dashing incumbent since 2013.

lists politics

Heat Wave News

Dallas pet owners should take these steps with oncoming heat wave

SPCA

Keep your pets hydrated. Consider putting out a kiddie pool.

Dallas weather is about to take a serious turn, and the SPCA has valuable advice on what steps pet owners should take. It's easy to forget that animals get hit hard by the heat, and especially in Texas: A report by Veterinarians.org found that Texas was No. 1 on the list of states with heat-related pet deaths. Based on data they compiled from 2018-2022, Texa had 40 reported heat-related pet deaths — more than six times the national five-year average.

In a statement, SPCA of Texas Interim Chief Veterinarian Valarie Tynes, DVM, DACVB, DACAW reminds pet owners that their pets have very few ways to cool themselves down.

“As a veterinarian, I’ve seen far too many cases of dogs and cats suffering from heatstroke, often brought into the emergency room when it’s already too late," Tynes says. "Our pets have very limited ways to cool themselves down. They can sweat a small amount through their paw pads, but their main way to release excess heat is by panting. Panting helps pets cool off through the evaporation of moisture, but it only provides limited relief, especially during extreme temperatures."

Tynes says that, when the body can’t shed heat fast enough, serious internal damage begins to occur.

"The proteins and chemicals that keep the body functioning start to break down," she says. "I’ve seen heat affect the kidneys and brain—organs and processes that are incredibly sensitive to high temperatures."

Breed, overall health and environment all can influence how at-risk a pet is, but one thing is always true: prevention is critical. Please don’t underestimate how dangerous heat can be.

Tynes advises pet owners to keep pets in cool, shaded areas, provide plenty of fresh water, and avoid walks or outdoor activity during the hottest parts of the day.

Here are some proactive measures to keep pets safe and comfortable during these sweltering days:

Keep your pets hydrated
Make sure your furry friends have access to fresh, cool water at all times. Consider placing multiple water bowls around your home and refill them regularly. If your pets must be outside during the day, make sure there are plenty of shady spaces throughout the day and several shaded, nontippable water bowls filled with ice water. Do not use metal bowls outside.

If possible, a small wading pool filled with cold ice water and placed in a shaded area outside is preferred. This not only allows pets to drink but also to cool off in the water when overheating.

Schedule exercise with your pets wisely on warm days
Give your pet plenty of water before and after walks or playtime. Be sure to avoid strenuous activities during the hottest parts of the day. Early mornings (before 10 a.m.) or late evenings (after 5 p.m.)—when temperatures are lower—are ideal for walks or playtime.

Hot pavement can burn paw pads, so opt for walking on grassy areas. Consider using paw wax or booties to shield sensitive paws from hot pavement, rocks or sand that can cause burns and blisters. If you cannot hold the back of your hand on the pavement for five to 10 seconds, the pavement is too hot for your pet.

Make sure your pets have plenty of shade
If your pet spends any time outside, be sure it has plenty of shade so he or she can get out of the sun. This is where the ground or grass will be coolest—under a tree, an umbrella, or a simple, open structure. Do not tie or restrain the pet so that it cannot move between shady spots as needed.

If it is really hot and humid, bring your pet indoors and into air-conditioned areas.

Never leave your pet in a locked car
No matter what, even if you think you will be away from the car for just a few minutes, do not leave your pet unattended in a parked car. The car can absorb enough energy within minutes to become a death mobile. A cracked window or two is not enough to prevent heatstroke when it’s hot, or even warm. It is also not enough to park in the shade on a hot day and leave all the windows and even sunroof open.

While weather in the 70s may seem harmless, a Stanford study showed that in just an hour, a car’s temperature rose to 116 degrees internally when left out in 72-degree heat. It is not recommended to leave the air conditioner running in a car for your pet. Oftentimes the air conditioner malfunctions, leading to overheating inside the vehicle.

Heatstroke is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that can affect pets when they are exposed to high temperatures and excessive heat. Dogs and cats cannot regulate their body temperature as efficiently as humans, making them more susceptible to heatstroke. It can occur in as little as 10-15 minutes, especially in hot and humid environments or when an animal is left in a parked car.

Symptoms of heatstroke in pets include excessive panting, drooling, rapid breathing, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea and collapse. It is crucial to act quickly if you suspect your pet is suffering from heatstroke. Move them to a cool and shaded area, offer fresh water, and use cool (not cold) water or damp towels to gradually lower their body temperature.

Then take the pet directly to an emergency veterinary clinic. Heat stroke can be fatal and can come on very quickly, so it’s best not to take any chances.

weather animals