Early voting gets underway Tuesday

Voters will begin casting votes in several important contests across Liberty County next week, with several cities and schools making important decisions on leadership and other issues.

Early voting for the May 3 election gets underway Tuesday, April 22, as voters across the county will make their feelings heard.

Liberty, Dayton, Daisetta and Ames will all see contested races for city council seats on the ballot.

Liberty will see a five- person race for three at- large council seats with incumbents Libby Simonson and Debbie Dugger, who is fi nishing the unexpired term of John Hebert, Jr., after he moved to the role of mayor last year. Out is incumbent Dennis Beasley, who did not file to run for another term at the dais.

Bruce Bell, Nick Dennis and Trent LaFour are joining the race. Voters will have the opportunity to select up to three candidates to fill the open seats.

Across the river will be a pair of contests with both incumbents being challenged by former council members.

In the race for Position 4, first- term council member Tonya Smikal will be challenged by Don McDaniel, who served one term previously.

The race for Position 5 will feature Valorie Barton, currently serving her first term, against former councilman Alvin Burress.

In Daisetta, there will be one contested race on the ballot, as Position 2 Councilman Ryan Taylor will face a challenge from Joseph Ballard. Incumbent Kelsey Norris will face no opponent for Position 4.

Ames will have one contested race on the ballot, as incumbent Position 5 Councilmember Audrey Harrison will face two challengers, Reubin Williams and Tiffany Burgis.

In Cleveland, there are no contested races on the ballot, but several propositions have the potential to change the political landscape.

Those propositions include granting the mayor voting rights, adding a sixth member to the council, and extending terms from two to three years. There are also several charter amendment proposals on the ballot.

The cities of Hardin, Devers, Kenefick and Plum Grove will not have any contested races.

Local school districts will see contested races in Cleveland and Devers Independent School Districts.

Cleveland ISD will have two races on the ballot this cycle, and they will have at least one new member after the retirement of longtime Position 4 Board of Trustee member Willie Carter. Pauline M. Johnson and Kairos Sanchez Martinez run for that open seat.

In the race for Position 5, incumbent Amanda Sandoval Brooks is facing a challenge from Jessica Allen.

In Devers ISD, there are two contested races, with Position 1 incumbent Michelle Carr facing opposition from Daniel Barnes. In the race for Position 2, incumbent Tommy McIntosh will face Sandi Zbranek.

Tarkington ISD has no contested races, but they will be asking voters to decide on a pair of propositions Tarkington Independent School District will ask voters for a third time to approve a bond referendum that school leaders believe is desperately needed.

The district is proposing a pair of bonds that, if both passed, would come in at $ 95 million. You can read more about the bond referendum in this week’s edition.

Liberty, Dayton, Hardin and Hull- Daisetta Independent School Districts have all canceled elections, with no board members facing opposition.

You can check out our 2025 City and School Election Guide in this week’s edition and see where candidates stand on the issues. There is a complete list of voting locations and times for early and election- day voting.

Here is a link to sample ballots for races and ballot measures across Liberty County.