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City cancels May election
By BRIAN PORTER/Managing Editor
It could be a sign of satisfied constituents or an alarming trend, either way the absence of challengers for available council seats has led the city of Mesquite to cancel the May election for consecutive years.
Only one race in the past three city elections has been contested.
The city council voted unanimously Monday to cancel the May 12 election as races for the mayoral and Place 1, 2 and 6 seats were uncontested. Races for Place 3, 4 and 5 seats were not contested in 2006. The last contested race was in 2005, when John Monaco defeated Don Tillery for the Place 2 seat. Monaco did not draw opposition this year.
The 2007 election will cost the city of Mesquite $400 that it will be unable to recover. The last contested election in 2005 cost the city $9,552.
“Most of the cost involved is for Dallas County,” said Judy Womack, Mesquite city secretary. “The state requires you to publish notices in newspapers.”
Of the $9,552 spent on the 2005 election, $8,164 went to Dallas County to hold the election. The $400 expense for the 2007 election includes required certificates of election for the incumbents. The cost for public notices was not incurred for filing.
The reason more citizens don’t contest elections could simply be in the salaries provided to the elected officials. The city charter provides the mayor a $100 monthly salary and all council members monthly salaries of $50.
“It really is a volunteer job,” Womack said. “On top of council meetings, they have events going on all the time that they attend.”
Most city elections have been contested over the years in Mesquite. Since the election code changed in 1995, only elections in 1996 and 2000 were uncontested prior to 2006.
“There really is not any benefit to hold an uncontested election,” Womack said. “This is saving the city, and in turn our residents, money.”
The city of Mesquite does not have term limits and all terms are for two years, with Places 3,4, and 5 up for election in even years. The mayoral and Places 1, 2 and 6 are elected in odd years.
Mike Anderson is the city’s 21st mayor since 1887. With the cancelation of the election, he has been elected to his sixth consecutive term. If he completes the term, he will have served the city as mayor for 12 years. Only Bedford Galloway, who served for 14 years, served the city longer in the mayoral position.
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