Mayoral election in Dallas, Texas (May 4, 2019 general election)

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2019 Dallas elections

Election dates
Filing deadline: February 15, 2019
General election: May 4, 2019
Runoff election: June 8, 2019
Election stats
Offices up: Mayor, City council
Total seats up: 15 (click here for other city elections)

Election type: Nonpartisan
Other municipal elections
U.S. municipal elections, 2019

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This page covers the May 4, 2019, general election. For information on the June 8 runoff election, click here.

On May 4, 2019, state Rep. Eric Johnson (D) and Dallas City Councilman Scott Griggs advanced to a June 8 nonpartisan runoff election for mayor of Dallas, Texas. The runoff was held as no candidate received a majority of the vote in the May 4 general election.

This was an open-seat race; incumbent Mike Rawlings (D), in office since 2011, was prevented by term limits from seeking re-election.

Nine candidates were on the ballot. In April, local political experts stated that clear frontrunners had not emerged in the race.[1][2] Candidates in the race emphasized their professional, civic, and political experience as part of what set them apart from one another.

Four candidates in the race had held elected office: Griggs, Johnson, Dallas Independent School District Trustee Miguel Solis, and former state Rep. Jason Villalba (R).[3]

Candidates Albert Black and Regina Montoya had other forms of government experience. Black was the chairman of the Dallas Housing Authority under Mayor Rawlings. Montoya was the chair of the Mayor's Task Force on Poverty under Rawlings, and she was assistant for intergovernmental affairs to President Bill Clinton (D).[3]

At the time of the election, Mike Ablon was a real estate developer. Alyson Kennedy was a cashier at Walmart and was the 2016 Socialist Workers Party presidential candidate. Lynn McBee was CEO of the nonprofit Young Women’s Preparatory Network.[3]

See the Candidate profiles section below for more detailed information on candidates' backgrounds and policy areas each emphasized.

Dallas uses a council-manager system. In this form of municipal government, the mayor serves on the city council—the city's primary legislative body. The council and mayor appoint a chief executive called a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations and implement the council's policy and legislative initiatives. The mayor of Dallas appoints city council committee members and chairs, determines what policy-related agenda items will be considered by the council, and makes policy and budget recommendations. The mayor does not have veto power.[4][5]

Dallas is the ninth-largest city in the U.S. by population. Its use of the council-manager system is unique among large cities. Most cities in the United States with populations over one million use a strong mayor system, in which the mayor—instead of a city manager—serves as the city's chief executive.

Dallas also held elections for all 14 city council seats. Click here for more information about the Dallas city council elections.

| Dallas voter? Dates you need to know.

Candidate Filing Deadline| February 15, 2019
Registration Deadline| May 9, 2019
Absentee Application Deadline| May 28, 2019
Early Voting| May 28-June 4, 2019
Runoff Election| June 8, 2019
Voting information
Polling place hours| 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Polling locations: Go to this page to find early voting locations and your assigned precinct for election day.

Voting in Dallas - Ballotpedia's "Beyond the Headlines" series

This election was a battleground race. Other 2019 battlegrounds included:

* District Attorney election in San Francisco, California (2019)
* Kentucky Attorney General election, 2019
* Minnesota State Senate District 11 special election, 2019

|

## Contents

* 1 Candidates and election results
* 2 Candidate profiles
* 3 Campaign finance
* 3.1 Self-financing
* 4 Endorsements
* 5 Campaign advertisements
* 5.1 Mike Ablon
* 5.2 Albert Black
* 5.3 Scott Griggs
* 5.4 Lynn McBee
* 5.5 Regina Montoya
* 5.6 Miguel Solis
* 5.7 Jason Villalba
* 6 Debates and forums
* 6.1 April 8, 2019
* 6.2 March 25, 2019
* 6.3 March 18, 2019
* 6.4 March 8, 2019
* 6.5 February 26, 2019
* 6.6 February 21, 2019
* 7 Campaign themes
* 7.1 Mike Ablon
* 7.2 Albert Black
* 7.3 Scott Griggs
* 7.4 Eric Johnson
* 7.5 Alyson Kennedy
* 7.6 Lynn McBee
* 7.7 Regina Montoya
* 7.8 Miguel Solis
* 7.9 Jason Villalba
* 8 Issues
* 8.1 Police staffing
* 8.1.1 Candidate positions
* 9 Polls
* 10 Mayoral partisanship
* 11 Election history
* 11.1 2015
* 11.2 2011
* 12 About the office
* 13 About the city
* 13.1 Industry
* 13.2 Demographics
* 14 State profile
* 14.1 Partisan data
* 15 Pivot Counties
* 15.1 Presidential results by legislative district
* 16 See also
* 17 External links
* 18 Footnotes

## Candidates and election results[edit]

#### General runoff election

##### General runoff election for Mayor of Dallas

Eric Johnson defeated Scott Griggs in the general runoff election for Mayor of Dallas on June 8, 2019.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

| Eric Johnson (Nonpartisan) |

55.6

| 41,247

| Scott Griggs (Nonpartisan) |

44.4

| 32,918

* * *

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

| Total votes: 74,165

|
|

= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

#### General election

##### General election for Mayor of Dallas

The following candidates ran in the general election for Mayor of Dallas on May 4, 2019.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

| Eric Johnson (Nonpartisan) |

20.3

| 16,402

| Scott Griggs (Nonpartisan) |

18.5

| 14,921

| Lynn McBee (Nonpartisan) |

14.0

| 11,324

| Mike Ablon (Nonpartisan) |

13.5

| 10,878

| Miguel Solis (Nonpartisan) |

10.7

| 8,647

| Regina Montoya (Nonpartisan) |

10.4

| 8,440

| Jason Villalba (Nonpartisan) |

6.7

| 5,444

| Albert Black (Nonpartisan) |

5.2

| 4,210

| Alyson Kennedy (Nonpartisan) |

0.6

| 469

| Steve Smith (Nonpartisan) (Write-in) |

0.0

| 21

| Miguel Patino (Nonpartisan) (Write-in) |

0.0

| 8
|  | Other/Write-in votes|

0.1

| 107

* * *

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2

| Total votes: 80,871

|
|

= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

## Candidate profiles[edit]

See also: Editorial approach to writing about key campaign messages

Mike Ablon, real estate developer

Party: Nonpartisan

Incumbent: No

Political office: None

Biography: Ablon received bachelor's degrees in architecture and engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a master's degree from Harvard University. He founded PegasusAblon, a real estate development company. Ablon served as chair of the Trinity River Corridor Local Government Corporation. He also volunteered as vice chairman of a senior living development and for the Real Estate Council.[6]

Key messages

* Ablon said, "I am a consensus builder with a long track record of bringing people together to get things done. Several of my opponents have made their campaigns about dividing our city along partisan or geographic lines. ... Instead of East, West, North and South, I want to build one Dallas—a collection of thriving and prosperous neighborhoods free from political rancor or Washington-style partisanship."[7]

* Ablon's policy priorities included road repair; expanding before- and after-school programming; better pay, pensions, and benefits for police officers and firefighters; improving transportation; and City Hall ethics reforms to reduce the role of lobbyists and increase transparency.[8][9]

Albert Black, former chair of Dallas Housing Authority

Party: Nonpartisan

Incumbent: No

Political office: Former chair of Dallas Housing Authority (appointed by Mayor Mike Rawlings)

Biography: Black received a bachelor's degree in general studies from the University of Texas at Dallas and an M.B.A. from the Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business. He founded the company On-Target Supplies & Logistics and the job readiness program Ready To Work. Black also served as chair of Baylor Health Care System in Dallas and of the Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce.[10]

Key messages

* Black said that no other candidate in the race "can match my record of creating opportunity and building bridges in Dallas," referring to his time as chairman of the housing authority and the regional chamber of commerce, the business he started that he said provided living-wage jobs, and his role in bringing Baylor Diabetes and Wellness Center to Dallas.[11]

* Black said his priorities were jobs for all Dallas residents through improved education and training; his "Come Home to Dallas" initiative, which would include developing vacant land into workforce housing and providing housing incentives for firefighters, police officers, teachers, and more; and increasing access to healthcare through health enterprise zones.[11][12]

Scott Griggs, Dallas City Council member

Party: Nonpartisan

Incumbent: No

Political office: Dallas City Council (2011-2019)

Biography: Griggs received a degree in chemistry from Texas A&M University and a J.D. from the University of Texas. His professional experience includes working as the president of the Fort Worth Avenue Development Group and as an attorney specializing in patent and trademark preparation and prosecution. Griggs served as chair of the city council housing committee and vice chair of the government performance & financial management committee. He was also a member of the Dallas Police & Fire Pension System board.[13]

Key messages

* "My experience and record of service for the City of Dallas is unmatched by my opponents and makes me uniquely qualified to lead our city as its next mayor," Griggs said. He said his accomplishments included raising first responders' pay, preventing the Trinity toll road, and working for a competitive bidding process for Fair Park.[13]

* Griggs emphasized increasing first responder pay and health benefits, increasing affordable housing by readying city-owned lots for development and reforming the city council committee structure to more fully use the tools in the Comprehensive Housing Policy, and setting transportation policy for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system as priorities.[13][14]

Eric Johnson, state representative

Party: Nonpartisan

Incumbent: No

Political office: Texas House of Representatives, Democrat (Assumed office: 2010)

Biography: Johnson received a degree in history from Harvard University. He then received a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in public affairs from Princeton University. Johnson served on several boards and commissions, including Dallas Arboretum, The Arts Community Alliance, the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas, Inc. In the state legislature, he was a member of several committees and chaired the Dallas Area Legislative Delegation. At the time of the election, Johnson was a lawyer.[15]

Key messages

* Johnson said, "Throughout my career, I have worked across the aisle to develop creative solutions to the issues Dallas is facing — from the lack of affordable housing to access to high quality, full-day pre-K. I have learned that we are best able to craft real solutions to such problems when we hear from those representing all walks of life."[16]

* Johnson said his policy priorities were workforce readiness, which he said would make housing more affordable by increasing people's wages; expanding full-day pre-K and access to affordable childcare as well as better aligning schools with workforce needs; and increasing salaries, securing pensions, and improving morale for police officers.[16][17]

Alyson Kennedy, 2016 Socialist Workers Party presidential candidate

Party: Nonpartisan

Incumbent: No

Political office: None

Biography: Kennedy worked as a teacher and as a coal miner. She was the 2016 Socialist Workers Party presidential candidate. At the time of the election, Kennedy worked as a cashier at Walmart.[18]

Key messages

* Kennedy said that workers "are tired of the dead end of Democratic and Republican party politics, which favor the rich at every turn. The Socialist Workers Party...points in the direction of taking power away from the big businesses and banks that exploit workers, farmers, self-employed trades men and women, and small business people, and begin to organize society based on the needs and rights of all those who toil for a living."[18]

* Kennedy emphasized as key issues amnesty for workers in the country without legal permission; building solidarity with working people around world by ending U.S. military involvement in the Middle East and other areas; and prisoners' rights, among which she included an end to the death penalty and access to uncensored books and newspapers.[18]

Lynn McBee, CEO of Young Women’s Prep Network

Party: Nonpartisan

Incumbent: No

Political office: None

Biography: McBee received a degree in biochemistry from the University of Texas. Her experience includes working as a research scientist for the genomic research company New England Biolabs and serving as a board member of the Dallas Women’s Foundation. She has been on the boards of and volunteered with several other groups. At the time of the election, McBee was CEO of the Young Women's Prep Network, which creates STEM schools for girls, and board chair of the Visiting Nurse Association.[19]

Key messages

* McBee said, "My work as an executive at a biotech startup and as a CEO gives me the business and leadership background needed to serve as Mayor. And, my long-term and deep involvement as a volunteer and non-profit leader give me a deep, first-hand understanding of the big issues facing Dallas. I’ve seen what works, I’ve seen what doesn’t work, and I have the knowledge and relationships to bring all the stakeholders to the table to create sustainable solutions."[19]

* McBee emphasized as priorities growing the police force; improving basic services, including streets and parks as well as code enforcement; and protecting taxpayers by putting more of the budget toward services that improve quality of life and addressing inefficiencies.[19][20]

Regina Montoya, former chair of Mayor's Poverty Task Force

Party: Nonpartisan

Incumbent: No

Political office: Former chair of Mayor's Task Force on Poverty (appointed by Mayor Mike Rawlings); U.S. representative to the United Nations, appointed by President Bill Clinton (D) (1998); Assistant for intergovernmental affairs to Pres. Bill Clinton (1993)[21]

Biography: Montoya received a B.A. from Wellesley College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. Her experience includes working as an attorney, serving as vice chair of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport board, and serving as CEO of the nonprofit New America Alliance, which aims to promote economic advancement for minorities. She was also president of the Dallas Democratic Forum.[22]

Key messages

* "I have a uniquely broad background and a wide perspective on this city and how it can work together," said Montoya. "My experience spans industry and business, the law, nonprofits and city involvement. I have a collaborative leadership style, based on building coalitions and consensus. We need a mayor who can unite the city, bring together its districts, businesses, nonprofits and all interested parties to pull in one direction."[23]

* Montoya's policy priorities included improved basic services, such as road repairs and code enforcement; making housing more affordable; and combating poverty through early education and adult education initiatives, city internships, encouraging businesses to invest in area colleges, and more.[23][24]

Migues Solis, Dallas Independent School District trustee

Party: Nonpartisan

Incumbent: No

Political office: Dallas Independent School District trustee (Assumed office: 2013); Mayor's Poverty Task Force (appointed by Rawlings)

Biography: Solis received a B.A. in history from Lamar University and a master's degree in education policy and management from Harvard University.[25] He has worked as a teacher and as special assistant to the superintendent of Dallas Independent School District. He co-founded the Latino Center for Leadership Development, which aims to develop political leaders from the Latino community.[26]

Key messages

* "The experience that matters most in this race is getting results at the local level in municipal government," Solis said. "I am the only candidate in this race that has a track record of taking on big challenges and working with my colleagues and local administrations to improve the lives of the people in our city." He emphasized his experience working with the city council and city manager as a Dallas ISD board member.[9]

* Solis' policy priorities were expanding early education and college and career academies, addressing socioeconomic and racial segregation by incentivizing the construction of affordable housing, and addressing poverty through partnerships between businesses and education institutions and by increasing wages.[26][27]

Jason Villalba, former state representative

Party: Nonpartisan

Incumbent: No

Political office: Texas House of Representatives, Republican (2012-2018)

Biography: Villalba received a B.B.A. in finance and economics from Baylor University and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. He has served on several boards and commissions, including the Dallas Children’s Trust, the Dallas Housing Finance Corporation, and the GrowSouth Initiative. At the time of the election, Villalba chaired the Dallas chapter of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly and worked as an attorney.[28][29]

Key messages

* Villalba said no other candidate had his experience of living and working in different parts of Dallas, as an economist, or as a business attorney, and that no other had his record in the legislature. "I have a proven record of bringing disparate factions together to achieve great things. That’s why I passed more legislation during the time I was in the legislature than any other member of my class—because I was able to bridge the divide between parties to get stuff done."[28]

* Villalba's policy priorities included freezing property tax rates for people on a fixed income; competitive pay and strong pensions for police officers and firefighters; getting private infrastructure service providers involved in updating Dallas' systems; and southern sector revitalization.[28][30]

## Campaign finance[edit]

The following candidates filed campaign finance reports by the eight-day pre-election deadline.

Notes:

* State Rep. Eric Johnson's eight-day pre-election report showed $617,098 on hand; that amount included funds in his state officeholder account, and the amount presented above reflects remaining funds in his city account.[31]
* Mike Ablon's expenditure total includes unpaid obligations.[32]

#### Self-financing[edit]

Candidates loaned their campaigns the amounts below. Loan amounts are included in contribution figures in the table above.[33]

* Mike Ablon: $375,000
* Albert Black: $120,000
* Lynn McBee: $350,000
* Regina Montoya: $176,000

## Endorsements[edit]

Candidates are added below when endorsements are found. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Noteworthy general election endorsements

Endorsement  | Ablon | Black | Griggs | Johnson | McBee | Montoya | Solis
Elected officials
State Sen. Royce West (D)[34] |  | ✔ |  |  |  |  |
State Rep. Jessica Gonzalez (D)[35] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
City Councilman Omar Narvaez[35] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
City Councilman Mark Clayton[35] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
City Councilwoman Sandy Greyson[35] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
City Councilman Adam Medrano[35] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
Dallas Independent School District Trustee Audrey Pinkerton[35] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
Dallas County Community College District Trustee Philip Ritter[36] |  |  |  | ✔ |  |  |
Dallas Independent School District Trustee Justin Henry[37] |  |  |  | ✔ |  |  |
U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala (D) [38] |  |  |  |  |  | ✔ |
Dallas County Community College Trustee Monica Bravo[38] |  |  |  |  |  | ✔ |
Dallas County Commissioner Elba Garcia[38] |  |  |  |  |  | ✔ |
Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price[38] |  |  |  |  |  | ✔ |
State Rep. Victoria Neave Criado (D)[38] |  |  |  |  |  | ✔ |
State Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos (D)[38] |  |  |  |  |  | ✔ |
Newspapers and editorials
Dallas Morning News editorial board[39] |  |  |  | ✔ | ✔ |  | ✔
The Daily Campus editorial team (Southern Methodist University student newspaper)[40] |  |  |  |  |  |  | ✔
Individuals
Former city attorney/former mayoral candidate Larry Casto (withdrew before filing deadline)[41] | ✔ |  |  |  |  |  |
Former U.S. Rep. John Bryant (D)[35] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
Former Texas Secretary of State David Dean[35] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
Former Dallas City Councilman Bob Stimson[35] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
Former Acting Mayor/Former City Council Member Mary Poss[36] |  |  |  | ✔ |  |  |
Dallas NAACP President Arthur Fleming[37] |  |  |  | ✔ |  |  |
Peter Beck, CEO of The Beck Group[42] |  |  |  | ✔ |  |  |
Forrest Hoglund, CEO of SeaOne Holdings[42] |  |  |  | ✔ |  |  |
Former Secretary of State/2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton (D)[43] |  |  |  |  |  | ✔ |
Former state Rep. Sam Coats (D)[38] |  |  |  |  |  | ✔ |
Former federal judge Royal Ferguson[38] |  |  |  |  |  | ✔ |
Former U.S. Ambassador Kathryn Hall[38] |  |  |  |  |  | ✔ |
Former state Rep. Harryette Ehrhardt (D)[38] |  |  |  |  |  | ✔ |
Unions
Dallas Fire Fighters Association[44] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
Dallas AFL-CIO[45] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
Unite Here! Local 23[45] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
Organizations
Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance Political Action Committee[46] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
Stonewall Democrats of Dallas[47] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
Dallas Green Alliance[45] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
Sierra Club[45] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
Texas Alliance for Retired Americans[45] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
Retired Police Association[45] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
Retired Fire Fighter Association[45] |  |  | ✔ |  |  |  |
EMILY's List[48] |  |  |  |  |  | ✔ |
Latina List[49] |  |  |  |  |  | ✔ |
Mexian American Bar Association[50] |  |  |  |  |  | ✔ | ✔
23rd Senatorial District Tejano Democrats[51] |  |  |  |  |  |  | ✔

## Campaign advertisements[edit]

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

#### Mike Ablon[edit]

"Mike Ablon's Plan For Dallas" - Ablon campaign ad, released April 19, 2019

"Neighborhoods" - Ablon campaign ad, released February 21, 2019

"Mike Ablon Commercial" - Ablon campaign ad, released January 28, 2019

"Together" - Ablon campaign ad, released January 24, 2019

#### Albert Black[edit]

"The Albert I Know - Denward Freeman" - Black campaign ad, released March 28, 2019

"Albert Black for Mayor of Dallas" - Black campaign ad, released March 24, 2019

"The Albert I Know - Scott Sessions" - Black campaign ad, released March 14, 2019

"Albert challenges you to be more than you aspire to be" - Black campaign ad, released March 7, 2019

"Grassroots Kickoff" - Black campaign ad, released February 27, 2019

#### Scott Griggs[edit]

"A New Kind of Mayor for Dallas" - Griggs campaign ad, released April 16, 2019

"The Wave" - Griggs campaign ad, released April 14, 2019

"Scott Griggs on VisitDallas" - Griggs campaign ad, released April 8, 2019

"Scott Griggs on Public Safety in Dallas" - Griggs campaign ad, released April 2, 2019

"Scott Griggs on Streets" - Griggs campaign ad, released March 27, 2019

"Who is Scott Griggs? Sylvia Demarest Answers" - Griggs campaign ad, released March 25, 2019

"Scott Griggs on Housing in Dallas" - Griggs campaign ad, released March 23, 2019

"Block Walking for Scott" - Griggs campaign ad, released March 22, 2019

"A New Kind of Mayor for Dallas" - Griggs campaign ad, released March 18, 2019

"WhoScott KristinaPierre Louis" - Griggs campaign ad, released February 24, 2019

"Who is Scott Griggs? Monte Anderson Answers" - Griggs campaign ad, released February 2, 2019

"Who is Scott Griggs? Jesse Moreno Answers" - Griggs campaign ad, released February 2, 2019

"Who is Scott Griggs? Meri Dahlke Answers" - Griggs campaign ad, released February 2, 2019

"Who is Scott Griggs? Helen Hart Answers" - Griggs campaign ad, released January 26, 2019

"Who is Scott Griggs? Kristie Holt Answers" - Griggs campaign ad, released January 26, 2019

* Facebook campaign ads

#### Lynn McBee[edit]

McBee released a TV ad on March 29, 2019. Click here to view the ad.

#### Regina Montoya[edit]

"Big, Audacious Dreams" - Montoya campaign ad, released February 6, 2019

* Facebook campaign ads

#### Miguel Solis[edit]

> I want you to know how personal this campaign is for me. The Dallas community helped my family and me through the darkest moment of our lives, and I will never forget that.

> I’m running for mayor because I want to give back to the city that has given me and my family so much. pic.twitter.com/yM1mTF41GG

> -- Miguel Solis (@MiguelForDallas) April 15, 2019

"Don't Wait" - Solis campaign ad, released January 6, 2019

* Facebook campaign ads

#### Jason Villalba[edit]

"Started Right Here" - Villalba campaign ad, released January 22, 2019

* Facebook campaign ads

## Debates and forums[edit]

### April 8, 2019[edit]

Seven candidates participated in a candidate forum moderated by NBC 5's Ken Kalthoff. Candidates discussed police and crime, city code enforcement, infrastructure, gentrification, and more.

View videos of the event here.

### March 25, 2019[edit]

All candidates except Eric Johnson and Alyson Kennedy attended a forum where they discussed funding for the arts in Dallas.

Coverage:
Dallas News

### March 18, 2019[edit]

All candidates except Alyson Kennedy and Eric Johnson met at a forum hosted by the Real Estate Council. They discussed education, housing policy, and transportation, among other issues.

Coverage:
D Magazine

### March 8, 2019[edit]

All candidates except Alyson Kennedy and Eric Johnson appeared at a forum moderated by The Dallas Morning News' deputy editor for editorials Rudy Bush. Topics discussed included charter school policy, homelessness, and affordable housing.

Coverage:
Dallas News

### February 26, 2019[edit]

All candidates except Mike Ablon participated in a forum moderated by NBC DFW’s Ken Kalthoff. Topics discussed included economic development, poverty, and police staffing.

Coverage:
D Magazine

### February 21, 2019[edit]

Women of Dallas United for Action hosted a forum attended by six candidates: Scott Griggs, Eric Johnson, Lynn McBee, Regina Montoya, Miguel Solis, and Jason Villalba. They discussed how candidates would work within the council-manager system, racial and economic segregation, education policy, and more.

Coverage:
D Magazine

## Campaign themes[edit]

The following themes were found on candidates' campaign websites, unless otherwise noted.

#### Mike Ablon[edit]

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Mike Ablon on how to build a better Dallas – in his own words.

A better Dallas starts with stronger neighborhoods.

“The world knows Dallas by our skyline, but great cities are defined by the vitality of their neighborhoods. That’s what I want to do as Mayor – help strengthen and revitalize neighborhoods so they are safe and prosperous. We can only do this if we come together as a city and do what’s right for the future success of every part of Dallas, starting with improving the basic city and education services that make a lasting difference in our everyday lives.”
Mike Ablon

Help for our schoolchildren before & after the bell rings.

“The future of Dallas rests on the success our teachers and parents have in educating our next generation of entrepreneurs, skilled workers and professionals. As Mayor, I will focus on getting our students the help they need outside of our schools, starting with academic assistance and tutoring after the bell rings in a safe and productive atmosphere. Making sure our young people receive the academic instruction through various afterschool programs, especially for children of working parents, could be the difference between dropping out or graduation.”
Mike Ablon

Safer families in every part of Dallas.

“The average response times for Dallas families calling 911 has increased dramatically over the past years – this is an unacceptable risk for victims of violent crime. With our police department short almost 1,000 officers, this is a problem City Hall has seen coming for years and has done little to improve. To resolve this officer shortfall, we need to reprioritize our spending to make sure public safety is a top responsibility, starting with making sure every part of Dallas has the patrol officers they need to stop violent criminals, gang members, drug dealers and others who target our families.”
Mike Ablon

Respect for police officers & firefighters.

“When there’s a fire, we call firefighters. When there’s a crime, we call on police officers. But when there’s a budget crisis, City Hall almost always cuts their funding. We owe them more respect and appreciation – that means proper planning and City management so their budgets are not vulnerable. As Mayor, I will fight for better pay, a stronger pension and smarter benefits for the men and women who risk their lives each day to make Dallas a safer place. And, if we’re going to depend on police and firefighters to keep us secure, they deserve more input on actual needs and staffing.”
Mike Ablon

Ethics reforms to clean up City Hall.

“Ethics, honesty and transparency should be basic values in government, but for the past two decades we’ve endured too many scandals and arrests at City Hall. We need to create a new culture of integrity at City Hall where these disgraces are rare exceptions starting with comprehensive ethics reforms that include reducing the role of high paid lobbyists and require more transparent disclosures of their relationships with elected city leaders.”
Mike Ablon

Better roads & streets to ease traffic congestion.

“Kicking the can down the road should not be Dallas’ official policy on how we fix our roads. We can accomplish anything in Dallas, it seems, except fill potholes, improve alleys, and smooth our roads. This lack of attention to basic city services adds time to your commute, keeps working parents away from their families and takes money out of your pocket for car repairs. Want to fix the roads? We first need to fix City Hall. We also need a strategy to pay for this, and that come back to growing businesses and jobs to create the revenue.”
Mike Ablon

Smarter transportation to help seniors & working families.

“We have spent billions of dollars on DART but more than 30 years after its start, families in South Dallas still have a tough time getting to work, buying groceries or seeing their doctors. Let’s be honest – we don’t need more lengthy studies or memos to know that our public transportation system doesn’t work for many of the people it was formed to help. It’s time to revisit our public transportation options to make sure we no longer leave behind working families, handicapped residents and senior citizens who struggle to get around our city.”
Mike Ablon

Responsible spending on basic city services.

“With rising property values our city government is flush with revenue. So why are we still struggling to fund even the most basic city services? As a businessman, I will keep a close eye on the bottom line, fight against waste and excessive spending, and work to make sure our tax dollars are focused where they can do the most good for our everyday lives.”
Mike Ablon

Growing our economy one small business at a time.

“Dallas is the best place to start a business. My great-great-grandfather walked here from Galveston in 1882 to start his business. More than a century later, I started my business on a shoestring budget and a $99 website. Dallas succeeds when small businesses such as these succeed, and as Mayor I want to expand opportunities so more people can build and grow their businesses in our city. In doing so, we can continue to provide jobs for working families and valuable tax revenue to help pay for better roads, parks, police and fire.”
Mike Ablon[52]

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—Mike Ablon[8]

#### Albert Black[edit]

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ACCESS TO HOUSING (BOTH MID-MARKET AND “FIRST FAMILY”)
I believe we can build neighborhoods on purpose - attainable and safe housing, great schools and amenities close to home.

Housing influences every element of our lives. It determines where your children attend school, where you work, where you worship, and whether you can build a fulfilling life. Dallas is ranked as the 13th most unaffordable housing market in the country and the LEAST affordable in the state of Texas, among the five largest cities. We are in the midst of a housing crisis, with rising home prices, property taxes and mortgage rates forcing residents and businesses out of a city they love because they can’t afford to stay.

As Mayor, I will say, “come on home to Dallas.” We will work with community partners to ensure residents that want to remain in their neighborhoods, can. From my upbringing in the Frazier Courts housing projects to my work as chairman of the Dallas Housing Authority, I have spent 58 years coming to terms with the real value of a safe, stable home in a city with opportunity.

A STRONG LOCAL ECONOMY THAT WORKS FOR ALL
I believe Dallas can have the strongest economy in the world, doing so by putting people first.

As a business owner for more than 45 years, and former chairman of the Dallas Regional Chamber, I know that the best way to create jobs is to build strong companies. It’s why I started my first company at age 10 so my best friends and I could afford to buy our own lunches. It’s the same reason my wife and I built On-Target Supplies & Logistics from nothing in 1982, grew it to a company with almost 200 employees, and never even considering moving it from its home in Oak Cliff where we are able to add to the local tax base and employ people in southern Dallas.

I’ve never missed payroll, and I’ve done so while providing paid sick leave, maternity leave, prioritizing diversity in the workforce and elevating women into executive roles.

A little more than a decade ago, I realized I could enfranchise far more people through training and workforce development programs. So we founded Ready to Work and trained more than 2,200 high school students in the skills that make them employable and give them options for furthering their education.

Our plan for Dallas is to be the single best place to live and work in this country - one that gives every Dallas resident the opportunity to cultivate the life they want today, while positioning our city for the growth, innovation and advancement that will sustain Dallas tomorrow.

ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE
I believe Dallas can be the healthiest city in America. And for many residents and their families, access to healthcare, in their neighborhoods, is a literal matter of life and death.

It’s difficult to overstate the importance of healthcare available to our citizens. Our health is the foundation on which we build our lives. While healthcare continues to be an issue in Washington, D.C., I believe we can address nonpartisan access issues close to home. I’ve spent close to 20 years fighting to remove the barriers that too many low- to middle-income families and children face every day. More than 90,000 North Texas children have asthma. Also, diabetes continues to be an epidemic. Diseases like diabetes are an economic burden for those who suffer from the disease, because proper self-management requires medication and supplies for monitoring blood glucose.

Dallas is a city of big thinkers and problem solvers, and we need to use that brainpower to improve access to and the quality of healthcare. In working to galvanize city government, healthcare providers, community stakeholders, schools, hospitals and donors around a shared mission, we can embrace innovative new ideas to minimize health disparities and reduce costs while improving outcomes.

It’s the approach I took to help build The Baylor Diabetes Health & Wellness Institute in my home neighborhood, Frazier Courts, where three times as many residents were dying as a result of diabetes than anywhere else in America. The Institute is an early example of the type of Health Enterprise Zones I hope to create throughout the city, which blend economic development and public health to create sustainable, measurable plans for long-term improvement in traditionally underserved communities.

ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION
I believe Dallas can have a well-designed transportation infrastructure that strengthens our economy and gives individuals in every neighborhood reliable access to jobs, child care, health care and the communities near and far.

Public transportation, modern and safe infrastructure and the foresight to look to the future of what’s next, are part of what makes a strong city. I can remember the nights (almost a decade) where I would ride the Commerce Street bus downtown after a day’s work to meet Gwyneith, and pass off our baby son, Tre’, before heading to my night-shift job. Now, as a grandfather, I depend on safe streets with reasonable traffic when I pick up my granddaughter from school on Thursdays.

One of Dallas’ strongest assets is our robust infrastructure. We are fortunate to have many of the nation’s most innovative projects underway, including the Bullet Train and UBER Elevate. Like so many, I’ve relied on public transportation for much of my life, so I know the importance of having access to transportation when and where it’s needed.

As we continue finding success with our transportation initiatives, I want to support projects that will grow our economy while also fulfilling the needs of our residents. We need to ensure that we have better access to transportation in the neighborhoods that need it, so that it doesn’t take a family hours to get to a grocery store and our children are not late to school.

GOOD GOVERNANCE. AN OPEN GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR YOU
I believe Dallas can have the most open city government in the country, and as a result, the most efficient and responsive elected officials that work for all.

This campaign is about opening doors for all. I believe that every person in this great city deserves the opportunity to shape our future. I would do the same if given the honor of serving as your Mayor. I believe the citizens of Dallas want to get involved and should be given the opportunity to serve on more civic boards, task forces and commissions - regardless of who they know at “the top.”

We will encourage everyone to get involved in their local government, attend city council meetings at convenient times, and engage in debates with city leaders to highlight real solutions to issues affecting their neighbors and neighborhoods. When I hear about someone doing good work, I’ll let them know their efforts are appreciated, the same way former Mayor J. Erik Jonsson did for me all those years ago.[52]

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—Albert Black[12]

#### Scott Griggs[edit]

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Ethics & Transparency
Elected officials and staff at the City of Dallas work hard every day to earn the public’s trust. The recent news of the betrayal of this trust is unforgivable and indicative that we must have a plan in place to prevent such corruption.

My plan for how we revise ethics, transparency, and accountability in the City of Dallas is a four-part effort to gain trust and to better serve the public.

1\. Fix the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Loophole

Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) projects have been a source of much corruption. The recently passed Comprehensive Housing Policy requires that these projects be scored to improve selection, but we need to go a step further. Let’s institute a “no contact period.” When a developer files for a LIHTC project, the developer and City Council are not allowed to have any communication until the LIHTC project is scored by City Staff and presented to the City Council. This will set a high standard for conduct for LIHTC projects.

2\. Follow the Money

A searchable electronic database should identify campaign contributions, Councilmember conflicts of interest, lobbyist activities, and parties or individuals having a financial interest in a City Council matter. Today, only campaign contributions are searchable but other records are not maintained in a searchable electronic database. Let’s make it easy for the public to follow the money and connect the dots.

3\. Who meets Who

Both Councilmembers and lobbyists should be required to file reports detailing meetings. We need to know the identities of parties and individuals having a financial interest in a Council matter. These records can be made available electronically to the public as part of a searchable electronic database.

4\. Open the Door to Closed Meetings

Often, the Dallas City Council meets in closed executive session. There are no recordings of what happens in closed executive session. Let’s increase transparency at City Hall. Under my proposal, all closed executive sessions of the Dallas City Council should be video recorded in entirety. The closed session recordings can then be made available to the public whenever all rationales for closing the session are no longer applicable.

When following this plan of ethics, transparency, and accountability, we can hold our city officials and staff to a higher standard, one our city has not seen and completely deserves.

Public Safety
We have too few police officers and fire fighters. While we’ve added hundreds of thousands of residents, our number of Dallas Police officers has decreased from 3,600 in 2011 to 2,900 today. The collapse of the Dallas Police & Fire Pension System coupled with low pay has decimated our uniform totals. Fewer officers means high priority calls, like Priority 1 and Priority 2 calls, are not being timely answered. Fewer officers means fewer neighborhood patrol officers to build relationships with the community.

In 2018, I led the effort to increase police and fire starting pay from $48,000 to $60,000 and provide across-the-board raises. We need to increase the pay further; it’s not enough that we went from the lowest pay in North Texas to average pay in North Texas. We need to have the highest paid first responders in North Texas, and we need to improve health benefits to increase retention and recruitment of the highest quality of officers. As mayor, I will make sure these changes occur.

Housing
As Mayor, I’ll put the programs, strategies and tools within our Comprehensive Housing Policy into action. When I was elected to the Council in 2011, the City of Dallas did not have a housing policy. As chair of the housing committee for two years from 2015 – 2017, I led the effort to create Dallas’ first Comprehensive Housing Policy with the goals of:

Maintaining our existing affordable housing and creating more affordable housing; Offering more choice to residents on where to live; and Overcoming patterns of segregation and poverty through investment. The Comprehensive Housing Policy identifies areas ready for redevelopment, areas to protect from gentrification, and areas of Dallas in need of infrastructure investment. The Comprehensive Housing Policy has programs, tools and strategies for meeting Dallas’ affordable housing needs, which includes the creation of 20,000 units of single- and multi-family housing. A Market Value Analysis (MVA) data driven approach supports the programs, tools and strategies, which benefit renters, single-family homeowners, landlords, and developers. Best practices from across our country incorporated such innovative ideas as utilizing Dallas’ land bank to rebuild neighborhoods, establishing and funding a Housing Trust Fund, protections from source of income discrimination, relocation assistance, first time home buyer assistance, home repair assistance, renter relocation assistance, low income housing placement guidelines, minimum housing standards, and inclusive zoning bonuses, for example.

Today, there is no longer a Housing Committee; rather there is a combined, Economic Development and Housing Committee. This has caused a bottleneck at the council committee level on the number of tools, programs and strategies we can implement. As mayor I will implement a new kind of committee structure that will end the bottleneck and allow us to put the tools, programs and strategies to work.

Transportation
As Mayor, I will implement a City of Dallas transportation policy. For far too long, we lived under the tyranny of DART’s transportation system, where people can’t get to work from point A to point B on time because of the terrible service. We need a transportation policy to set our expectations for the DART board: safety and cleanliness, level of service to get people to work on time, and ridership goals. DART needs to end its sole focus of building the largest light rail system in America and focus on building the best bus system for the City of Dallas. Right now, we are paying $280 million a year to DART — more than half of its budget collected from member cities. And since DART’s creation, the city of Dallas has given DART $5.8 billion dollars.

Wages
We need to raise the minimum wage for all City employees and contractors to $15/hour.

When I was first elected to the Dallas City Council, wages for many positions such as workers at Love Field, sanitation workers, City of Dallas employees, City of Dallas temporary workers, and City of Dallas subcontractors were at or near the federal minimum wage. Through advocacy, your support, and coalition building, we raised thousands of workers to a wage tied to the MIT living wage index. It’s now time for $15/hour.

Economic Development
On the balance, the City is not performing well when it comes to revitalization and economic development as the majority of the revitalization effort is not self-directed by neighborhoods. The City of Dallas needs to focus on small, neighborhood scale projects and proportional infrastructure spending.

Include Small, Neighborhood Scale Projects. In addition to large infrastructure projects, I will continue to encourage and include small infrastructure projects “between the buildings” that benefit people that live and work in a community. Dallas presently has a one-dimensional approach to new infrastructure, which is new infrastructure must follow new development. I support infrastructure-driven redevelopment as well. By way of example, 15 years ago, $2.6M was invested in the Bishop Arts District, which was worth $1.7M at the time. The $2.6M was spent in between the buildings on water improvements, parallel parking, street trees, and wider sidewalks. No money was spent on developer subsidies. Money was only spent on improvements that can be enjoyed by people that live and work in the community.

A short 10 years later, in 2013, the same area of land is worth $6.2M, which represents a 13% growth per year. And this remarkable increase in value has continued. Additionally, for some establishments, Dallas now collects more sales tax in one Saturday night than previously in an entire year. The Bishop Arts District was not an accident, but rather a success story waiting to be repeated. During my time on the Dallas City Council, I repeated this success on Jefferson with further improvements planned for Tyler/Polk and Elmwood. This successful strategy can be implemented throughout Dallas from suffering commercial corridors to aging strip shopping centers.

Use proportional infrastructure spending to ensure we spend money on small projects. Large infrastructure expenditures should be stepped-down and connected to neighborhood level infrastructure projects, particularly in the Southern Dallas where a focus is stabilizing existing neighborhoods and enhancing existing character. By way of example, the first Calatrava bridge ($182M) was built adjacent to the La Bajada neighborhood. As part of this project, a deck park was built on the decommissioned Continental Bridge ($10M), now the Ronald Kirk Pedestrian Bridge. The residents of La Bajada say that they need a neighborhood park upgraded, an internal street repaired, and a community-center roof rebuilt. Infrastructure spending should be proportional such that when a $182M bridge and $10M deck park are built adjacent to a neighborhood, a small amount of money (e.g., $500K) is reserved for neighborhood level improvements that enhance the existing community and encourage neighborhood buy-in by demonstrating city buy-in of the neighborhood.

Property Taxes
We should hold the line on local taxes and expand the tax base; end wasteful spending projects that are meant to enhance the postcard of Dallas and focus on projects that will improve the quality of life for the people of Dallas to attract new residents and businesses. We should work to bring opportunities and high-wage jobs and implement the Comprehensive Housing Policy.

Examples of eliminating wasteful spending projects include the second Calatrava bridge and the fake white water rapids. Both multi-million dollar projects I opposed. Expensive corporate give ways like the recent $300,000 to ESPN for a football game the day after Christmas need to end. Operationally, the fraud, waste and abuse at VisitDallas needs to stop and we need to use a large portion of the $30 million in annual tax payer money at VisitDallas to improve our city’s arts and culture, rather than as a rental subsidy for holding conventions in the City-owned convention center.

Homelessness
Housing is the solution to homelessness. I will ensure the funding, governance, and public-private partnerships are present to help individuals experiencing homelessness. We need to ensure funding by continuing our audits of Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance (MDHA) and the Bridge. A recent audit by the City of Dallas showed we were missing out in millions in federal aid because of a bad data tracking system.

On governance, I support the City of Dallas Homeless Commission that comprises Dallas residents including financially disinterested parties. The Homeless Commission should report to the Housing Committee of the Dallas City Council more often and advise the Council on matters of Dallas homeless funding, planning and progress for handling tent cities, and the homeless voucher program, for example. The Homeless Commission should interface and cooperate with regional entities such as Dallas County on comprehensive strategic matters. Lastly, we need to actively look for partnerships with other agencies and non-profits to build on the efforts at the Bridge and other facilities.

Education
I support public education, and I support Dallas ISD as an independent school district. I will work with DISD to DISD to provide universal pre-K and work with DISD to prevent recapture, which is the approximately $1 billion that ill leave DISD to the state over the next five years. I will not support Home Rule or the closing of our neighborhood schools or the charterization of DISD. I will seek capital improvement partnerships such as the building of parks and libraries, which can be co-owned. An example is the Hampton-Illinois Branch Library.[52]

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—Scott Griggs[14]

#### Eric Johnson[edit]

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A Champion for All of Dallas
I want to bring our city together and lead it boldly and intelligently into the future. I fear that our city government is becoming more and more like Washington, with factions increasingly dug in against one another instead of being one strong team. The tone at City Hall is also becoming angrier and our city government less productive. I am running a campaign that mirrors my leadership style: I am reaching out across our city, to everyone, to build a diverse, winning coalition.

The next Mayor of Dallas must be a person of the highest integrity who possesses both intelligence and good judgment and who also has proven leadership abilities. By this high standard, I am uniquely qualified to serve as Dallas’ next Mayor. My career in the Texas House of Representatives has been completely devoid of ethical lapses, and I have been among the members most focused on ethics reform. My education has prepared me to work closely with our city manager on the intricacies of public policy where desirable and appropriate. Finally, I have proven my judgment and leadership abilities over nearly a decade representing Dallas-based House District 100 in the Texas Legislature. There, I have been a leading advocate for funding full-day pre-kindergarten to improve educational outcomes for our kids, providing police officers with body cameras to enhance the safety of our neighborhoods, and a range of other vital issues.

An Education Champion
I want to serve Dallas as Mayor because Dallas is where I found educational opportunity. I grew up here, in very modest circumstances. But with a lot of hard work and support from my family, church, neighbors, and teachers, I was able to graduate from some of the finest institutions of higher education in the world. Then I came back to Dallas to raise a family and help more Dallasites find and develop their potential. By serving as Mayor, I can inspire kids who come from the same humble beginnings that I did, and I can use the weight and the visibility of the office to lead our city in a direction that will give our youth more educational opportunities in order to find their own success.

As one of Dallas’ state legislators for the past nine years – including two years as Chairman of Dallas’ legislative delegation – I have pushed hard to expand full-day pre-kindergarten and ensure that our youngest students have certified teachers. Right now, I am fighting to ensure that our schools are equitably and adequately funded by the state. And I have filed a bill to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline by getting a better handle on how schools administer suspensions and the effect those suspensions have on students. This bill complements one I passed last session ending all suspensions of pre-kindergarten through second grade students statewide.

As Mayor, I will leverage the influence of the office to be Dallas’ education champion. I will focus on the issues that need to be addressed — expanded full-day pre-K, better alignment of our schools with 21st century workforce needs, and better access to affordable child care — and build momentum and energy around addressing these issues.

An Ethics Champion
Like my friends and neighbors, I was disheartened to read recently another account of a Dallas city leader choosing bribes over serving our city's interests. Dallas deserves better from its leaders — and it shouldn’t fall to our city's residents to root out political corruption. I’ve fought political corruption in the Texas Legislature, and I’m ready to take that fight to City Hall to ensure our families have leadership we can trust.

In the Texas Legislature, I fought to prevent corrupt lawmakers from ever collecting a taxpayer-funded pension. Now, I’ve filed ethics reform legislation to end the corruption that has plagued Dallas politics. And I am committed to rewriting the City of Dallas’ Code of Ethics to end the culture of corruption at City Hall once I’m Mayor.

Honesty and integrity have been my guides as a father, husband, and leader, and that’s the kind of Mayor I’ll be.

A Crime-Fighting Champion
As the son of a former Dallas Police Department officer and the North Texas Crime Commission’s 2014 “Crime Fighter of the Year,” I see three things that will help end attrition and increase the hiring of new officers: a salary increase focusing first on the lower end of the pay scale, securing the police officer pension, and improving morale.

Police officers do not become police officers to get rich, but they do care how much money they make, particularly compared to their peers in neighboring cities. We should never again allow our police pay scale to fall so far out of line with our neighboring cities. As Mayor, I will closely monitor officer compensation and work with our city manager to make sure we are compensating officers fairly and competitively.

No one running for Mayor better understands the complexity and difficulty of our police officer pension situation than I do as an experienced municipal finance attorney and state legislator. Nor is anyone better equipped to go to Austin when this issue is back before the Texas Legislature and help broker a deal that is good for our police officers and good for Dallas. My relationships in Austin are second to none. As Mayor, I would use these relationships for the benefit of our city, as I have for the past nine years as a legislator.

Finally, if you ask rank-and-file Dallas Police Department officers – like my dad or the current officers I talk with almost daily – they will tell you that improving morale is just as important, if not more important, as compensation when it comes to attracting and retaining talented officers. Our police officers want to hear from the Mayor regularly, and they want to know the Mayor has their back. I can think of no better person than the son of a former Dallas Police Department officer to serve as Mayor and to let these valued public servants know that they are appreciated.

A "Smooth Streets" Champion
Dallasites want and deserve to drive on smooth, well-maintained streets in their neighborhoods and on their way to work and school. Spilled coffee and vehicle damage from potholes should not be considered a fact of life. Count me and my wife, Nikki, among this crowd (although I do not drink coffee).

But Dallasites also do not want their neighborhood streets or commuter routes to be closed, coned off, or detoured for several months, or even a year, just so some elected official can say that he or she is being responsive. For example, I know personally the great inconvenience that residents of the White Rock Lake area have endured due to the prolonged closure of Lakeland Drive between Ferguson Road and Garland Road in order to repair a bridge.

When street conditions start to affect your life – as they have for thousands of Dallasites – this naturally becomes one of the city’s most important issues. But these issues can only be solved when we come together to address them. As Mayor, I will work to fast-track street repairs the best way I know how: by leading the community in a comprehensive study and dialogue around what the best cities do to prioritize, commence, and complete street repairs. I will work closely with the city manager and city engineers who deal with these issues daily, and I will make sure that we prioritize fixing the most high-impact streets first, regardless of where they are located in our city. Most importantly, I will work to ensure that the city completes street repairs quickly, so that the cures to these problems do not themselves make traffic worse.

A Neighborhoods Champion
I grew up in West Dallas and Oak Cliff, two parts of our city that are often mentioned when the topic turns to reviving neighborhoods. My family still resides in these neighborhoods. No one in this race knows these places better or cares more about them than I do. My concern for these neighborhoods is not the product of a poll or focus group, and therefore my commitment to these neighborhoods is not subject to change.

My experience in the Texas Legislature, along with my graduate-level public policy education, has taught me that solutions to problems like equitable neighborhood revitalization are complex. The best outcomes occur when an experienced leader guides a diverse, community-wide exploration of national best practices to find policy tools that will actually help those we want to protect.

This is exactly what I will do as Mayor. We will consider every policy tool that cities have used to increase affordable housing and minimize displacement of low-income residents in neighborhoods like those we want to revive. As Mayor, I will guide community conversations about a range of solutions – including some we haven’t even discovered yet.

We must also connect workforce readiness with neighborhood revitalization and affordable housing strategies. We can make housing more affordable by moving more Dallasites from unemployment or low-skill jobs to mid-skill jobs, increasing wages in the process. I was the first candidate in this race to identify workforce readiness as a major issue facing our city. As Mayor, I will appoint a workforce czarina and work with her to move thousands of Dallasites out of poverty and into the middle class through formal partnerships with a range of organizations.

A Transportation Champion
As Mayor, I will work toward solutions that move Dallasites around their city as quickly and safely as possible, and at the lowest cost, so they can spend more time enjoying their lives and less time in traffic.

I am proud of my proven track record on transportation issues. I pushed the Texas Department of Transportation to improve the intersection of Gaston Avenue, Garland Road and East Grand Avenue (known as the “3G” intersection to East Dallas residents), one of Dallas’ most dangerous and inefficient intersections. The redesigned intersection will be safer for cars, cyclists and pedestrians, feature new green spaces, move cars more efficiently, and shorten commutes for thousands of Dallasites.

As Mayor, I will sit down with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) leadership and our city manager to improve DART’s delivery of services to the people who need them. I have a long history of working with DART, and I know its leadership well. I have worked with DART to address serious concerns about access to programs and services for senior citizens and low-income residents in the far eastern part of my district. I will work to get DART to commit to focusing on increasing mobility within the City of Dallas by revamping its bus service to be more responsive to the needs of Dallas families.

Dallas needs a Mayor who can get our city and our regional transportation entities working together. And getting people to work together just happens to be my specialty. The key is leadership — leadership that can bring different perspectives together, help all sides bring out the best in each other, and leverage everyone’s strengths around innovative solutions focused on people. I have been doing this my entire life. The diversity of my coalition speaks to my success in finding common ground and creative solutions to difficult problems.[52]

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—Eric Johnson[16]

#### Alyson Kennedy[edit]

Ballotpedia did not find a campaign website for Kennedy. She participated in a WFAA questionnaire, which asked, "In your view, what are the three biggest challenges facing Dallas? Specifically, how do you plan to address them?" Kennedy's response is below. If you are aware of a campaign website that should be included, please email us.

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1\. Amnesty for undocumented workers – Mobilizing working people to fight for amnesty for all undocumented immigrant workers – which is the only way to build a strong labor movement and to organize unions. The bosses use immigration laws to doubly exploit immigrant workers and drag down the wages and working conditions of all working people, creating a massive financial windfall for the employers. The fight for amnesty builds unity among workers, and strengthens the struggles of working people.

2\. Building solidarity with working people throughout the world – The Socialist Workers campaign calls for the U.S. military out of the Middle-east and other regions of the world. Stop meddling in the affairs of other countries, whether that be Afghanistan, Iraq, or Venezuela. It is the sons and daughters of working people in Dallas, in Texas, and throughout the country who fight and die in US military interventions, whose only purpose is to protect the economic interests of the wealthy. U.S. wars and military operations have killed tens of thousands in the Mideast, and left many more maimed, homeless, and hungry; veterans sent to fight face scandalous neglect when they return. The attacks on the rights of working people at home and abroad by the wealthy rulers of the U.S. are connected.

3\. Support the rights of workers behind bars – Thousands of prisoners in Texas are locked up in cells with no heat in the winter and no air conditioning in the summer. The Socialist Workers Party campaign supports the fight of prisoners who filed lawsuits charging these conditions are cruel and unusual punishment. We demand an end to the death penalty, locking up workers because of exorbitant bail fees and support the right of workers behind bars to access newspapers and books free of censorship by prison authorities.[52]

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—Alyson Kennedy[53]

#### Lynn McBee[edit]

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Safer neighborhoods.
As Mayor, I’ll work to create an environment where police and fire work hand-in-hand with our city leaders to keep us all safe. We must make growing our police force a top priority, and provide first responders the leadership, training and resources they need to make us the safest city in America.

Better basic services.
As mayor, I’ll approach our quality of life as the foundation of our city, and work to ensuring it’s strong and sustainable as we grow. That means smooth streets, strong city services, well-maintained parks and public spaces, but it also means streets safe from stray dogs, city codes that are enforced, and even safe gas lines. Great basics produce great neighborhoods that cradle our families, create connected communities and improve quality of life – this is where City Hall should be focused.

Protect taxpayers.
As Mayor, I’ll lead for taxpayers and families, and work to get the best return for taxpayer dollars. This means more budget dollars for services that improve quality of life, and fighting abuse, misuse and spending on pet projects or inefficient programs.

Jobs & opportunity.
Good jobs not only provide for families, they also strengthen our neighborhoods, reduce crime, support educational achievement in our schoolchildren, and more. As Mayor I’ll work to ensure the jobs and opportunity are there for families who want to make Dallas their home.

Improving education.
Any CEO would tell you that training and keeping talent is their greatest challenge. As a city, we must put action behind this truth by expanding our education infrastructure to fulfill future need. As the CEO of a successful partnership that is creating first-generation college graduates, I’ve got direct experience to make a difference on this issue as mayor.

Disrupting cycles of poverty.
We must address root causes of poverty cycles and provide resources through public-private collaboration, not expanding government to treat symptoms of poverty. This issue has been studied and the new Child Poverty Action Lab was launched in 2018. Now, it’s time for a mayor who can reach into business, civic and philanthropic networks to secure the long-term resources needed to see this plan through the coming decades.[52]

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—Lynn McBee[20]

#### Regina Montoya[edit]

“  |

MY PLATFORM CENTERS ON PEOPLE

I firmly believe that the narrative in the City of Dallas needs to center on our people. They are our greatest resource, and we ought to think about all of our efforts in terms of how we are making this city work for people. Things are going very well in Dallas. We have a thriving economy. Our city has been transformed with new parks and amenities, and we are raising our profile nationally and internationally as a fantastic city, full of opportunity. The future of our city is about opportunity and access. Let's build on all the positive, and do all we can to make sure everyone has access to opportunity.

We need greater collaboration and coordination between city government, civic groups, nonprofits and businesses to ensure better progress. I've spent my life in Dallas working across all these areas. I know good work is happening - but it's a matter of bringing it all together.

This means development that will benefit people all over the city, not just in areas that have historically received more attention. We should support entrepreneurs and ensure a thriving job market that provides employment and careers. We need to address the rising cost of living in Dallas, including home ownership costs. We need to continue putting the focus on public schools, early childhood education and adult education and training programs. And we need to focus on the basics like good streets and sidewalks, mobility and transit, and a strong public safety system that protects and respects us.

We are making great progress in Dallas. Our future is working together in stronger partnership to invest in our people.

ADDRESSING OUR HOUSING CHALLENGES

The cost of owing a home in Dallas has skyrocketed since the great recession ended. Today, it is not only more difficult to purchase a first home, it is also much more expensive for people who already own homes, because of rising property valuations and thus higher property taxes. Homeowners deserve property tax relief, and the state ought to pay its fair share to cover our education budget instead of offloading the responsibility onto homeowners. We also need to address the supply. In rough terms, Dallas suffers from a housing market that lacks a wide range of pricing. While it is true that we need more subsidized affordable housing, we also need more lower and middle market rate housing. With more total housing units on the market, we could achieve more market stability at the same time we make it easier for people to live and work here, purchase a home and build equity. We would also expand our tax base and increase municipal revenue to use on needed services. When I first moved to Dallas, the market had many starter homes. Today, people have to go to the suburbs to find a starter home and suffer difficult commutes and traffic congestion. We can begin to turn the tide by unlocking city-owned land for developers willing to add lower cost housing options. We can make it easier for developers to work in Dallas by adding more standardization and predictability in our zoning, and by making our permitting process more transparent and automated. As we develop new districts, we can encourage more mixed-use development, density, walk-ability and sustainable design. We also need to think about younger people who may not be ready to own a home, and those who are not in a position to purchase. We have a very high percentage of renters in Dallas, and rents have also increased dramatically. We have to make sure our supply of housing includes a range of price points so that people with lower incomes can still afford to live and work in Dallas.

AN EDUCATED CITY IS A SUCCESSFUL CITY

Our school systems have their own leaders and elected officials, but our schools and the city must work in concert because our fates are intertwined. Although having no direct control of any ISD, the Mayor of Dallas can help set the agenda, and our current city leadership has done a good job of putting education in the spotlight. Better schools produce a more qualified work force, making our city stronger. Education is more important than any other single factor in helping people achieve success. Education is also one of our most powerful tools to break the cycle of systemic poverty. I am a strong supporter of public schools, early education, adult education and training, and higher education available through our many colleges and universities. As Mayor, I will actively look for ways for the city to build a strong, strategic relationship with our education system. Our work must go beyond what happens in the classroom, as well. This means internships at the city, but also encouraging businesses, corporations, nonprofits and other groups to establish internships. Young people need to be directly exposed to the workplace and receive guidance from mentors. We can encourage companies that do business in Dallas to invest in local schools and institutions of higher learning. You ask, what can the Mayor do to impact education? I say, it's a matter of creativity and leadership.

EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

Dallas is already a beacon of opportunity. We have one of the strongest economies in the country. But we need to take steps to open access to success to more people. Every district in Dallas has neighborhoods of concentrated poverty. More than 100,000 children in Dallas live in poverty. As Mayor, I will take what I learned as the leader of the Mayor's Task Force on Poverty and the Child Poverty Action Lab and work to reduce the key drivers of poverty. This will include more housing options, support of businesses and entrepreneurship, recruiting companies that can offer quality jobs and careers, a focus on early education and public schools, and bringing together government, schools, nonprofits, corporations and citizens so that key stakeholders attack the issues together.

PUBLIC SAFETY IS A MATTER OF BALANCE AND CONTEXT

Everyone wants strong public safety in Dallas. We want to feel safe in our neighborhoods. Dallas needs to address public safety in a broader context and with a data-driven solution. First, we should not assume that we need X number of police for X number of citizens. There is no police staffing formula that is based solely on population. Instead, we have to look at staffing in terms of the geographical expanse of the city, the number and kinds of situations that require police response, the overall level of crime in our city, and other variables. My basic feeling is that we probably do need additional police. Many citizens are demanding this, and the problem is real. I think it would be wise to wait for the police staffing analysis the city commissioned in 2018 in order to understand what is needed. We also need to think about changes to policing as a budget matter. We currently employ about 3500 officers and we have a budget of just under $500 million each year. The funds to add officers will have to come from adjustments in the budget, or enhancing our municipal revenue. The two largest drivers of municipal revenue are property tax and sales tax, so we have to think about the initiatives that will allow us to have the funds we need for public safety and other critical city services: stablizing the rising cost of owning a home in Dallas, adding development that will increase our tax rolls, and economic development that will lead to better jobs and stronger commerce in the city. We also need to recognize the good work done by our public safety system. Police are responding quickly to so-called Tier 1 calls that are the most critical. We need to do a better job marketing and recruiting. Dallas is a vibrant city and we can find qualified individuals who will want to pursue a career here and benefit from all that our city offers.[52]

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—Regina Montoya[54]

#### Miguel Solis[edit]

“  |

CREATING AN ECONOMY THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE
By most measures, Dallas’ economy is booming. We have low unemployment and thriving companies. But too many Dallasites are being left out of this growth, leading to growing disparities and persistent poverty. These divides mirror a sad history of segregation that has fractured our city by race, geography and class. Miguel feels everyone in Dallas should be able to share in our success.

He believes the most important step is giving people the skills they need to get good jobs right here in Dallas. That’s why Miguel would expand the career and collegiate academies in DISD and partner with local employers, unions and community colleges to tailor curriculum that will help our people get the training they need for a good job that can support a family.

Miguel also knows that wages must keep up with the cost of living if we are to help Dallas families get ahead. That’s why Miguel is committed to raising the pay of low-wage city workers—as he’s done in DISD—and encouraging local employers to do the same. Higher wages reduce turnover, create a more stable workforce, and helps many people avoid having to work a second job to make ends meet.

Miguel is the son of small business owners—his father eventually opened a tortilla factory after teaching for many years—and he’s committed to cutting regulations and red tape that hold back the growth of small businesses that can revitalize neighborhoods and create jobs.

EDUCATION
Miguel is proud of the work he’s done to improve Dallas’ public schools, leading a turnaround that has reduced the number of failing schools from 43 to four and raised pay for teachers and principals. Miguel has also led the effort to dramatically expand English Language Learner (ELL) classes, to ensure that the 45% of DISD kids who speak other languages at home can master English and excel in the classroom. Ending the school to prison pipeline has been a top priority, by putting a stop to out of school suspensions that have criminalized young people, particularly boys of color.

But Miguel knows there’s much more that needs to be done to help every child achieve their potential. He would start by expanding affordable Pre-K to 20,000 Dallas children who don’t currently qualify, helping close the achievement gap and providing a critical early start to learning.

To ensure our kids are ready for the next step, Miguel would expand DISD’s college and career academies, arming students with the skills they need to get a higher education degree or a good-paying job.

And Miguel would continue to look for ways to increase pay for our outstanding teachers and principals who have helped drive the turnaround at DISD.

ADDRESSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS
Dallas is the most unaffordable city in Texas, and it’s only getting worse. Miguel will work with the Council to update our zoning and building laws to require affordable housing units be included in new developments. And he’ll leverage the city’s land bank of vacant and undeveloped property to incentivize the building of new affordable housing units across the city. Miguel also believes we must help Dallasites in gentrifying neighborhoods be able to stay in their homes, so they too can benefit from the development of new grocery stores and amenities that have often bypassed their neighborhoods.

To end the long, painful history of segregation that has divided Dallas, it’s critical that affordable housing is available in every neighborhood. As we’ve seen in Mayor Rawlings’ push to revitalize South Dallas, we can bring real change to long underserved neighborhoods. But it’s important that those communities have an equal seat at the table when development is being discussed. We can and must create a more inclusive city, and that starts with ensuring a strong supply of affordable housing.

Finally, the next mayor must tackle the rising rate of homelessness that is leaving too many people vulnerable on our streets. That starts with making mental health and substance abuse counseling available to those in need, and focusing on providing drop-in centers and spill over shelters for homeless youth who are trying to go to school. Miguel also supports pilot programs like City Square’s tiny homes that serve as starter housing for the homeless.

KEEPING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE
Response times for most crimes have gone up over the last few years, as the city has struggled to hire and retain police officers. Too many of our officers are being recruited to surrounding cities and towns because of the rising cost of living. While the city passed a raise for first responders last year, more needs to be done to raise wages and increase the number of officers on the beat.

Miguel will work to attract current police officers and firefighters to live in the city by offering housing incentives, while supporting new first responders and teachers with breaks on rent. This initiative would include things like low-interest home loans that can be forgiven over the course of a period of service to the city, salary bumps for police and firefighters who relocate back to the city and earmarks in a housing trust fund that first responders can use to help them secure a home.

In addition, it’s important that we create a talent pipeline that will become the next generation of Dallas police officers and firefighters. Miguel is working with DISD high schools and local community colleges to create career pathways for local students to get on a fast track to a career as a first responder.

Finally, we must do more to build and maintain trust between first responders and the communities they serve. It’s important that the mayor spend time in every neighborhood, listening to residents’ concerns. Miguel will set the tone for a collaborative city government that works with the people of Dallas by holding weekly Mayor’s Night Out events, where residents can talk directly to first responders and city staff, as well as the mayor. Being visible and letting communities know the mayor is listening to them is vital to building trust.

TRANSPORTATION
Miguel knows that a mayor’s first responsibility is to keep Dallas a clean, safe and well-run city. He will prioritize filling potholes and re-paving deteriorating roads that slow traffic, damage cars and cause more congestion.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
The echoes of racism and injustice are still present in the segregation of Dallas’ neighborhoods today. Miguel is committed to breaking down the barriers that have divided us in order to create a more integrated city.[52]

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—Miguel Solis[27]

#### Jason Villalba[edit]

“  |

Enough antiquated thinking and divisive politics, Dallas deserves better. It’s time to work together and get stuff done!

Here’s my 5 Point Plan:

1\. Reducing Taxes for Seniors. In my first act as your Mayor, I will personally draft and have the Texas Legislature file a bill to freeze the property tax rate and amount payable of all current Dallas residents on a fixed income.

2\. Infrastructure. Recently, our efforts to address this issue have been solely reactive, rather than proactive. As your Mayor, I will personally engage directly with major private providers of infrastructure services for the city to negotiate with them to proactively engage in updating existing systems. If they fail to participate in our revitalization campaign voluntarily, then I will ask the City Council to provide compelling positive and negative incentives for these entities to become our partners.

3\. Public Safety. As your Mayor, I will ensure that our police officers and firefighters receive a competitive wage and that their pension plan is fortified for generations to come. I will do this by working directly with the city manager, first responders and the Texas Legislature to find a workable compromise ahead of time, rather than at the 11th hour. As well, I will appoint a committee of the most respected business leaders in town to choose my appointee to the Pension Board, as is required under current law.

4\. Southern Sector Revitalization. Unless we revitalize the southern sector of Dallas, we will not be able to become the world-class city of our aspirations. This begins with providing support to Trinity Groves, Bishop Arts and the Design District. Let’s give those who have been successful a helping hand and let’s give those who are aspirational in other parts of the city, the tools they need to succeed.

5\. Dare to Dream. Together, we can harness that power to get big things done. Let’s fix our streets, bolster our infrastructure and mend our pension plans, but let’s also shoot for the moon. Five years ago, people said a high speed rail transit system was unrealistic. Today, we are breaking ground for the most advanced system in the country.[52]

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—Jason Villalba[30]

## Issues[edit]

The following was identified as a major issue in the race from local media reports, campaign websites, and candidate forums.

### Police staffing[edit]

The number of officers in the Dallas Police Department decreased from 3,511 in 2011 to 3,053 in 2017, according to FBI data. In 2011, the ratio of officers to Dallas residents was 1:348; in 2017, it was 1:438.[55][56]

Response times to dispatched calls increased between 2016 and 2018, Dallas Police Department statistics showed. Average response time to calls classified as Priority 2, involving incidents such as criminal assaults and robberies, was 22.08 minutes in 2018, an increase from 18.1 minutes in 2016. The department's response time goal for Priority 2 calls is 12 minutes. Average response time to Priority 1 calls, including calls related to shootings and murders, was 8.35 minutes in 2018 compared to 7.77 minutes in 2016. The department's goal is 8 minutes.[57]

In 2018, the Dallas City Council voted to increase police starting salary to $60,000 from $49,207. Average starting salary across 17 Texas cities was $59,217. The pay increase went into effect Jan. 1, 2019.[58]

In Dallas' 2018-2019 adopted budget, the police department's annual operating expense was $487 million, accounting for 14 percent of the city's total $3.6 billion budget and 36 percent of its $1.4 billion general fund.[59]

Pensions were discussed in addition to salary as a reason for the decrease in number of officers. In November 2016, Business Insider detailed issues with the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System. The system was 45.1 percent funded at the time and was at risk of reaching insolvency in 15 years, though the article suggested that could happen sooner, listing poorly performing investments and the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) as contributing factors.[60] DROP "allowed officers and firefighters to retire on paper while continuing to work," according to Dallas News. "Participants who qualified stopped accruing credit toward their monthly pension benefit, but the benefit checks they would have received were credited to a DROP account, which for years accrued guaranteed interest rates of at least 8 percent."[61]

In 2014, the pension system board and 88 percent of active participants voted to decrease interest rates on DROP accounts.[62] And in 2017, the state legislature made several changes to the pension system, including changing DROP fund distribution, raising the retirement age, and increasing employee payroll contributions.[63]

#### Candidate positions[edit]

Most candidates discussed police staffing and public safety on their campaign websites. See the Campaign themes section for candidate positions as stated on their websites.

The following, unless otherwise noted, are candidates' responses to the following question from local television station WFAA:

"Dallas now has hundreds of fewer police officers than five years ago. Emergency response times have increased, as well. How do you solve this problem?"

Mike Ablon:

“  |

When there’s a fire, we call firefighters. When there’s a crime, we call on police officers. But when there’s a budget crisis, City Hall almost always cuts their funding. This is why we are short 1,000 officers and response times are on the rise. We owe them more respect and appreciation – that means proper planning and city management so their budgets are not vulnerable. As Mayor, I will fight for better pay, a stronger pension and smarter benefits for the men and women who risk their lives each day. And, if we’re going to depend on police and firefighters to keep us secure, we should listen more to their input on actual needs and staffing. It’s also important that we listen to the rank and file officers who understand firsthand what it takes to make Dallas a safer place. Only by allowing our police officers to have a bigger say in how we fight crime can we successfully stop violent criminals, gang members, drug dealers and others who target our families.[17][52]

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Albert Black:

“  |

First, let me state the obvious: We need more officers on the street and we need to retain the ones we have. That costs money – and that’s why I specifically said in my answer above that we need to balance any actions that would reduce revenue with our core needs – like public safety – that require revenue. These are tough decisions that need to be made with full transparency and public input.

We can also be creative. My proposed Come Home to Dallas! program would offer incentives for police officers (and firefighters, teachers and nurses) to return home from Frisco or Desoto – or wherever they have been driven out of Dallas to live because of high housing costs. While indirect, there is a benefit to having officers living in the communities they are sworn to protect.[17][52]

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Scott Griggs:

“  |

We have too few police officers and firefighters. While we’ve added hundreds of thousands of residents, our number of Dallas Police officers has decreased from 3,600 in 2011 to 2,900 today. The collapse of the Dallas Police & Fire Pension System coupled with low pay has decimated our uniform totals. Fewer officers means high priority calls, like Priority 1 and Priority 2 calls, are not being timely answered. Fewer officers means fewer neighborhood patrol officers to build relationships with the community.

In 2018, I led the effort to increase police and fire starting pay from $48,000 to $60,000 and provide across-the-board raises. We need to increase the pay further; it’s not enough that we went from the lowest pay in North Texas to average pay in North Texas. We need to have the highest paid first responders in north Texas, and we need to improve health benefits to increase retention and recruitment of the highest quality of officers. As mayor, I will make sure these changes occur.[17][52]

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Eric Johnson:

Dallas News reported the following:

“  |

State Rep. Eric Johnson, D-Dallas, whose father was a police officer, said if elected mayor, he wants to bolster police staffing, secure the police officer pension and improve morale.

'We need to constantly be monitoring the market and be willing to move our salary upwards when we have to,' Johnson said.

Johnson said he plans to pay for improvements for police by growing southern Dallas — which was also a priority for Rawlings — through business developments to add to the city's tax base.

'Stuff that doesn't exist today, it needs to exist tomorrow so there's new stuff to tax,' Johnson said. 'We need to expand the tax base that way.'[64][52]

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Alyson Kennedy:

“  |

When police are called to working class communities, if they come at all, their form of “helping” often leads to police brutality. Violence is part and parcel of a dog-eat-dog ethic in class society which relies on the police to maintain a level of fear and repression in working class communities. Police brutality has been pushed back in recent years and we are seeing guilty cops going to jail. So continuing protests around police brutality are having an effect. We need to continue to fight to prosecute and jail the cop who killed Botham Jean. I had the opportunity to visit Cuba last year. The police brutality that we see in the U.S. doesn’t exist in Cuba because they had a revolution based on human solidarity and putting the interests of working people first. Workers and young people can be part of the May Day International Brigade to Cuba, April 21 to May 5, to see for themselves what the Cuban revolution has accomplished. You can get more information about the brigade by emailing our campaign - dallasswpcampaign@gmail.com.[17][52]

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Lynn McBee:

“  |

We must hire more police. When we have maintained a ratio close to 3 officers per 1,000 citizens, our crime rate has been at its lowest levels. We must make this the goal.[17][52]

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Regina Montoya:

“  |

We need to do a much better job of marketing and recruiting, especially on a local level, going into high schools and local colleges. Serving as a police officer is a respected career and could provide stable employment to many of our young people. Dallas is an incredible city, and we need to let potential recruits know about the benefits of living here. We could do some practical things, as well, like programs to reduce housing costs for officers.[17][52]

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Miguel Solis:

“  |

We must address this issue and make sure that our police and first responders have the resources they need to keep us safe.

It’s clear that our first responders need higher salaries—not only because they deserve it, but because it’s critical to us keeping talented police and fire from leaving for other communities with better pay. To do that, we’re going to need to take a hard look at the rest of the city’s budget and find other areas of duplication and efficiency we can achieve. I will also explore incentive programs to hire and retain first responders, including subsidized rents and housing allowances for those who choose to live in Dallas.

To create a pipeline of home-grown first responders, we will continue to partner with local high schools and community colleges to create training and skills programs that will put them on a fast track to careers as police and fire officers and paramedics.

Finally, our first responders should have an ally in their next mayor. Previous mayors have missed an opportunity to work at the street level with first responders by helping them continue to build trust in the communities they serve. I would address this by frequently visiting neighborhoods with first responders and supporting their efforts around community policing, a revolutionary approach to trust building laid by former Chief David Brown. To support these efforts, I pledge to host Mayoral office hours in communities across this city in order to be more accessible to the neighborhoods. During these office hours, first responders will join me as we work to build trust with the community.

Furthermore, I would explore expanding the concept of “Neighborhood Night Outs” throughout the year by creating “Mayor’s Night Out” events where the community can engage with first responders and city staff.

Until we address the root causes of the problem of our first responder exodus, we will continue to deal with their effects. Our next mayor must create and execute innovative solutions to the problem so that we can ensure our people remain safe and our first responders are taken care of.[17][52]

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Jason Villalba:

“  |

I have a four tiered approach. I would (i) increase rookie compensation to $65,000 per year (with commensurate adjustments for senior officers), (ii) provide healthcare insurance that is comparable to the private sector, (iii) provide a retention bonus for all senior officers that are seeking to leave the department and (iv) bolster and fund the pension for a generation.[17][52]

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## Polls[edit]

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

If you are aware of polls conducted in this race, please email us.

## Mayoral partisanship[edit]

Once mayors elected in 2019 assumed office, the mayors of 65 of the country's 100 largest cities were affiliated with the Democratic Party. Out of the 31 mayoral elections that were held in 2019 in the 100 largest cities, five partisan changes occurred. Democrats gained three mayorships: two previously held by Republicans and one previously held by an independent. Republicans won one office held by an unaffiliated mayor, and one office where the incumbent's partisan affiliation was unknown.

In the elections in Phoenix, Arizona and Wichita, Kansas, Democrats won seats with Republican incumbents. In Wichita, Democrat Brandon Whipple defeated Republican incumbent Jeff Longwell. In Raleigh, North Carolina, a Democrat won a seat previously held by an independent. In Aurora, Colorado, a Republican succeeded an unaffiliated mayor. In Garland, Texas, a Republican succeeded a mayor with unknown party affiliation. Incumbents did not seek re-election in Phoenix, Raleigh, Aurora, or Garland.

Click here to learn more.

## Election history[edit]

### 2015[edit]

See also: Dallas, Texas municipal elections, 2015

The city of Dallas, Texas, held elections for mayor and city council on May 9, 2015. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was February 27, 2015. Early voting began on April 27, 2015.[65][66]

In the mayoral race, incumbent Mike Rawlings defeated Marcos Ronquillo and Richard P. Sheridan.[67][68]

Dallas Mayor, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Mike Rawlings Incumbent | 73% | 30,703
Marcos Ronquillo | 27% | 11,384
Total Votes | 42,087
Source: Dallas County Elections, "Official election results," accessed July 30, 2015

### 2011[edit]

On May 14, 2011, Rawlings and David Kunkle advanced past two other candidates in the general election. Rawlings defeated Kunkle in a runoff election on June 18, 2011.

Mayor of Dallas, Runoff Election, 2011

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Mike Rawlings | 55.8% | 31,088
David Kunkle  | 44.2% | 24,623
Total Votes | 55,711
Source: Dallas County Elections Department, "2011 Election Results," accessed July 9, 2015

Mayor of Dallas, Primary Election, 2011

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Mike Rawlings | 40.9% | 28,424
David Kunkle | 32% | 22,229
Ron Natinsky  | 25.1% | 17,430
E. Edward Okpa, II  | 2.1% | 1,474
Total Votes | 69,557
Source: Dallas County Elections Department, "2011 Election Results," accessed July 9, 2015

## About the office[edit]

See also: Council-manager government

The city of Dallas uses a council-manager system. In this form of municipal government, an elected city council—which includes the mayor and serves as the city's primary legislative body—appoints a chief executive called a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations and implement the council's policy and legislative initiatives. The mayor of Dallas appoints city council committee members and chairs, determines what policy-related agenda items will be considered by the council, and makes policy and budget recommendations. The mayor does not have veto power.[4]

Because of its large population, Dallas' use of the council-manager system is unique. Most cities in the United States with populations over one million use a strong mayor system, in which the mayor—instead of a city manager—serves as the city's chief executive. In 2005, a measure was placed on the ballot in Dallas that would have removed the office of the city manager and increased mayoral powers. Sixty-two percent of Dallas voters, however, disapproved of the proposal. As a result, the city retained its council-manager system.[69]

## About the city[edit]

See also: Dallas, Texas

Dallas is a city in Texas and the seat of Dallas County. It is the ninth-largest city in the United States and the third-largest city in the state of Texas, behind Houston and San Antonio. Dallas is the largest city in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area. As of 2017, its population was 1.3 million.[70][71]

Between July 1, 2016, and July 1, 2017, the Dallas‐Fort Worth‐Arlington metropolitan area saw population growth of 146,000 people, which was the largest growth of any metropolitan area in the country.[70]

Dallas had a budget of $3.6 billion in fiscal year 2018-2019.[72]

### Industry[edit]

The following chart provides information on employment in Dallas by industry as of 2017.

### Demographics[edit]

The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.

Demographic data for Dallas, Texas (2015)

| Dallas| Texas
Total population:| 1,260,688| 27,429,639
Land area (square miles):| 341| 261,232
Race and ethnicity[73]
White:| 60%| 74.9%
Black/African American:| 24.4%| 11.9%
Asian:| 3%| 4.2%
Native American:| 0.3%| 0.5%
Pacific Islander:| 0%| 0.1%
Two or more:| 2.3%| 2.5%
Hispanic/Latino:| 41.7%| 38.4%
Education
High school graduation rate:| 74.5%| 81.9%
College graduation rate:| 30.2%| 27.6%
Income
Median household income:| $43,781| $53,207
Persons below poverty level:| 24%| 19.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)

## State profile[edit]

See also: Texas and Texas elections, 2019

### Partisan data[edit]

The information in this section was current as of May 7, 2019

Presidential voting pattern

* Texas voted Republican in all six presidential elections between 2000 and 2020.

Congressional delegation

* Following the 2018 elections, both U.S. senators from Texas were Republicans.
* Twenty-three of Texas' 36 U.S. representatives were Republicans and 13 were Democrats.

State executives

* Republicans held seven of Texas' nine state executive offices. The other two offices were nonpartisan.
* Texas' governor was Republican Greg Abbott.

State legislature

* Republicans controlled the Texas State Senate with a 19-12 majority.
* Republicans controlled the Texas House of Representatives with a 83-67 majority.

Texas Party Control: 1992-2024
Three years of Democratic trifectas • Twenty-two years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year  | 92  | 93  | 94  | 95  | 96  | 97  | 98  | 99  | 00  | 01  | 02  | 03  | 04  | 05  | 06  | 07  | 08  | 09  | 10  | 11  | 12  | 13  | 14  | 15  | 16  | 17  | 18  | 19  | 20  | 21  | 22  | 23  | 24

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Governor | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R
Senate | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R
House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R

Texas quick stats

* Became a state in 1845
* 28th state admitted to the United States
* Texas was an independent republic from 1836 to 1845
* Members of the Texas State Senate: 31
* Members of the Texas House of Representatives: 150
* U.S. senators: 2
* U.S. representatives: 36

|  More Texas coverage on Ballotpedia:

* Texas elections, 2019
* Presidential voting trends in Texas
* United States congressional delegations from Texas
* Public policy in Texas
* Influencers in Texas
* Almanac of American Politics state profile
* More...

|

Demographic data for Texas

| Texas| U.S.
Total population:| 27,429,639| 316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):| 261,232| 3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:| 74.9%| 73.6%
Black/African American:| 11.9%| 12.6%
Asian:| 4.2%| 5.1%
Native American:| 0.5%| 0.8%
Pacific Islander:| 0.1%| 0.2%
Two or more:| 2.5%| 3%
Hispanic/Latino:| 38.4%| 17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:| 81.9%| 86.7%
College graduation rate:| 27.6%| 29.8%
Income
Median household income:| $53,207| $53,889
Persons below poverty level:| 19.9%| 11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Texas.

* * *

**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

## Pivot Counties[edit]

See also: Pivot Counties by state

One of 254 Texas counties—0.4 percent—is a Pivot County. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008

County  | Trump margin of victory in 2016  | Obama margin of victory in 2012  | Obama margin of victory in 2008
Jefferson County, Texas | 0.48% | 1.61% | 2.25%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Texas with 52.2 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 43.2 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Texas cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 66.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Texas supported Democratic candidates slightly more often than Republicans, 53.3 to 46.7 percent. The state, however, favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.

#### Presidential results by legislative district[edit]

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Texas. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[74][75]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 54 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 37.4 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 65 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 36.4 points. Clinton won 10 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.

In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 96 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 36.2 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 85 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 34.5 points.

2016 presidential results by state House district

District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control
1 | 26.82% | 72.17% | R+45.3 | 22.76% | 75.13% | R+52.4 | R
2 | 20.93% | 77.91% | R+57 | 17.59% | 79.78% | R+62.2 | R
3 | 22.26% | 76.65% | R+54.4 | 21.37% | 75.80% | R+54.4 | R
4 | 25.04% | 73.93% | R+48.9 | 22.70% | 74.70% | R+52 | R
5 | 23.75% | 75.33% | R+51.6 | 20.20% | 77.72% | R+57.5 | R
6 | 28.44% | 70.49% | R+42 | 28.89% | 67.98% | R+39.1 | R
7 | 27.14% | 71.97% | R+44.8 | 24.48% | 73.09% | R+48.6 | R
8 | 24.96% | 74.07% | R+49.1 | 21.12% | 76.63% | R+55.5 | R
9 | 27.47% | 71.73% | R+44.3 | 22.23% | 76.13% | R+53.9 | R
10 | 25.56% | 73.21% | R+47.7 | 25.20% | 71.62% | R+46.4 | R
11 | 26.75% | 72.23% | R+45.5 | 24.48% | 72.79% | R+48.3 | R
12 | 36.06% | 62.67% | R+26.6 | 32.54% | 64.35% | R+31.8 | R
13 | 22.71% | 76.25% | R+53.5 | 20.47% | 77.18% | R+56.7 | R
14 | 34.77% | 62.91% | R+28.1 | 38.79% | 54.03% | R+15.2 | R
15 | 21.79% | 76.77% | R+55 | 28.86% | 66.69% | R+37.8 | R
16 | 18.22% | 80.76% | R+62.5 | 18.80% | 78.35% | R+59.5 | R
17 | 37.30% | 60.79% | R+23.5 | 33.92% | 62.02% | R+28.1 | R
18 | 27.18% | 71.69% | R+44.5 | 23.96% | 73.47% | R+49.5 | R
19 | 22.22% | 76.79% | R+54.6 | 17.21% | 81.00% | R+63.8 | R
20 | 26.22% | 72.13% | R+45.9 | 25.81% | 70.27% | R+44.5 | R
21 | 23.92% | 74.97% | R+51.1 | 21.50% | 76.09% | R+54.6 | R
22 | 66.82% | 32.57% | D+34.3 | 65.95% | 31.80% | D+34.1 | D
23 | 44.24% | 54.56% | R+10.3 | 40.89% | 55.86% | R+15 | R
24 | 25.11% | 73.48% | R+48.4 | 27.42% | 68.20% | R+40.8 | R
25 | 28.74% | 69.92% | R+41.2 | 27.55% | 69.14% | R+41.6 | R
26 | 35.86% | 62.95% | R+27.1 | 45.81% | 50.71% | R+4.9 | R
27 | 68.80% | 30.44% | D+38.4 | 70.03% | 27.23% | D+42.8 | D
28 | 34.81% | 64.22% | R+29.4 | 43.01% | 53.21% | R+10.2 | R
29 | 35.44% | 63.32% | R+27.9 | 41.21% | 54.83% | R+13.6 | R
30 | 30.24% | 68.64% | R+38.4 | 26.80% | 70.36% | R+43.6 | R
31 | 61.89% | 37.31% | D+24.6 | 55.47% | 42.31% | D+13.2 | D
32 | 41.43% | 56.92% | R+15.5 | 42.04% | 53.45% | R+11.4 | R
33 | 26.49% | 72.25% | R+45.8 | 31.27% | 64.67% | R+33.4 | R
34 | 54.64% | 44.24% | D+10.4 | 53.40% | 43.18% | D+10.2 | D
35 | 66.43% | 32.71% | D+33.7 | 63.43% | 33.59% | D+29.8 | D
36 | 74.73% | 24.41% | D+50.3 | 73.70% | 23.21% | D+50.5 | D
37 | 69.28% | 29.75% | D+39.5 | 68.98% | 27.77% | D+41.2 | D
38 | 66.13% | 32.95% | D+33.2 | 65.76% | 30.74% | D+35 | D
39 | 74.02% | 25.10% | D+48.9 | 70.48% | 26.40% | D+44.1 | D
40 | 75.32% | 23.68% | D+51.6 | 70.73% | 25.91% | D+44.8 | D
41 | 56.64% | 42.35% | D+14.3 | 59.53% | 36.87% | D+22.7 | D
42 | 75.54% | 23.57% | D+52 | 73.73% | 23.49% | D+50.2 | D
43 | 46.96% | 52.09% | R+5.1 | 43.79% | 53.10% | R+9.3 | R
44 | 30.83% | 67.97% | R+37.1 | 30.22% | 65.99% | R+35.8 | R
45 | 41.83% | 55.19% | R+13.4 | 44.53% | 49.14% | R+4.6 | R
46 | 76.62% | 20.14% | D+56.5 | 78.16% | 16.34% | D+61.8 | D
47 | 39.32% | 58.05% | R+18.7 | 46.98% | 47.16% | R+0.2 | R
48 | 56.86% | 39.56% | D+17.3 | 65.17% | 28.12% | D+37 | D
49 | 70.19% | 24.89% | D+45.3 | 76.63% | 16.65% | D+60 | D
50 | 57.79% | 38.81% | D+19 | 63.38% | 30.05% | D+33.3 | D
51 | 78.49% | 17.43% | D+61.1 | 79.52% | 14.04% | D+65.5 | D
52 | 42.57% | 54.91% | R+12.3 | 46.12% | 47.56% | R+1.4 | R
53 | 22.29% | 76.50% | R+54.2 | 20.74% | 76.30% | R+55.6 | R
54 | 45.85% | 53.04% | R+7.2 | 44.07% | 51.07% | R+7 | R
55 | 33.08% | 65.48% | R+32.4 | 31.96% | 63.28% | R+31.3 | R
56 | 29.70% | 69.02% | R+39.3 | 31.16% | 64.82% | R+33.7 | R
57 | 25.97% | 73.09% | R+47.1 | 22.50% | 75.69% | R+53.2 | R
58 | 21.12% | 77.52% | R+56.4 | 18.84% | 77.90% | R+59.1 | R
59 | 21.36% | 77.31% | R+56 | 19.19% | 77.44% | R+58.2 | R
60 | 15.70% | 83.09% | R+67.4 | 13.33% | 84.19% | R+70.9 | R
61 | 16.19% | 82.54% | R+66.3 | 14.49% | 82.74% | R+68.3 | R
62 | 24.72% | 73.77% | R+49.1 | 20.89% | 76.05% | R+55.2 | R
63 | 26.39% | 72.13% | R+45.7 | 30.22% | 65.26% | R+35 | R
64 | 37.33% | 60.30% | R+23 | 40.00% | 54.49% | R+14.5 | R
65 | 40.84% | 57.52% | R+16.7 | 46.51% | 48.62% | R+2.1 | R
66 | 37.46% | 61.15% | R+23.7 | 46.24% | 49.45% | R+3.2 | R
67 | 37.26% | 61.08% | R+23.8 | 44.69% | 50.41% | R+5.7 | R
68 | 17.78% | 81.15% | R+63.4 | 14.23% | 83.37% | R+69.1 | R
69 | 23.27% | 75.20% | R+51.9 | 20.26% | 76.12% | R+55.9 | R
70 | 29.25% | 69.37% | R+40.1 | 32.82% | 62.78% | R+30 | R
71 | 22.84% | 75.76% | R+52.9 | 21.49% | 74.23% | R+52.7 | R
72 | 23.33% | 75.26% | R+51.9 | 21.45% | 74.81% | R+53.4 | R
73 | 20.22% | 78.37% | R+58.2 | 21.25% | 75.11% | R+53.9 | R
74 | 56.99% | 41.57% | D+15.4 | 56.27% | 39.58% | D+16.7 | D
75 | 72.33% | 26.62% | D+45.7 | 73.74% | 21.38% | D+52.4 | D
76 | 76.91% | 21.86% | D+55.1 | 77.93% | 17.86% | D+60.1 | D
77 | 64.07% | 34.29% | D+29.8 | 68.79% | 25.97% | D+42.8 | D
78 | 54.41% | 44.15% | D+10.3 | 59.28% | 35.16% | D+24.1 | D
79 | 64.73% | 34.12% | D+30.6 | 68.62% | 26.73% | D+41.9 | D
80 | 68.25% | 30.91% | D+37.3 | 65.06% | 32.31% | D+32.7 | D
81 | 24.20% | 74.66% | R+50.5 | 26.33% | 70.49% | R+44.2 | R
82 | 19.38% | 79.31% | R+59.9 | 20.58% | 75.76% | R+55.2 | R
83 | 21.27% | 77.50% | R+56.2 | 19.94% | 76.49% | R+56.5 | R
84 | 34.95% | 63.28% | R+28.3 | 35.12% | 59.58% | R+24.5 | R
85 | 37.99% | 61.03% | R+23 | 41.09% | 56.10% | R+15 | R
86 | 16.18% | 82.55% | R+66.4 | 16.16% | 80.17% | R+64 | R
87 | 22.12% | 76.56% | R+54.4 | 21.74% | 74.43% | R+52.7 | R
88 | 19.06% | 79.89% | R+60.8 | 16.48% | 80.59% | R+64.1 | R
89 | 31.79% | 66.67% | R+34.9 | 36.08% | 59.03% | R+23 | R
90 | 73.70% | 25.21% | D+48.5 | 74.97% | 21.48% | D+53.5 | D
91 | 30.45% | 67.90% | R+37.5 | 32.14% | 63.08% | R+30.9 | R
92 | 37.22% | 61.08% | R+23.9 | 40.54% | 54.66% | R+14.1 | R
93 | 38.26% | 60.21% | R+21.9 | 40.40% | 54.84% | R+14.4 | R
94 | 38.10% | 60.29% | R+22.2 | 40.87% | 54.30% | R+13.4 | R
95 | 76.11% | 22.99% | D+53.1 | 74.24% | 22.89% | D+51.4 | D
96 | 40.22% | 58.60% | R+18.4 | 42.55% | 53.74% | R+11.2 | R
97 | 38.92% | 59.59% | R+20.7 | 42.59% | 52.42% | R+9.8 | R
98 | 23.57% | 75.01% | R+51.4 | 28.91% | 66.33% | R+37.4 | R
99 | 30.70% | 67.69% | R+37 | 32.12% | 63.36% | R+31.2 | R
100 | 77.89% | 21.07% | D+56.8 | 77.24% | 19.30% | D+57.9 | D
101 | 64.01% | 34.87% | D+29.1 | 66.06% | 30.36% | D+35.7 | D
102 | 45.32% | 53.02% | R+7.7 | 52.27% | 42.74% | D+9.5 | R
103 | 69.87% | 28.77% | D+41.1 | 73.55% | 22.33% | D+51.2 | D
104 | 72.70% | 26.36% | D+46.3 | 75.60% | 20.85% | D+54.7 | D
105 | 46.48% | 52.14% | R+5.7 | 52.13% | 43.60% | D+8.5 | R
106 | 30.86% | 67.69% | R+36.8 | 35.83% | 59.70% | R+23.9 | R
107 | 46.89% | 51.83% | R+4.9 | 52.37% | 43.40% | D+9 | D
108 | 39.31% | 58.99% | R+19.7 | 50.32% | 44.01% | D+6.3 | R
109 | 81.75% | 17.68% | D+64.1 | 81.55% | 16.42% | D+65.1 | D
110 | 88.74% | 10.77% | D+78 | 86.76% | 11.25% | D+75.5 | D
111 | 77.24% | 22.06% | D+55.2 | 77.40% | 20.17% | D+57.2 | D
112 | 43.50% | 55.03% | R+11.5 | 48.28% | 47.10% | D+1.2 | R
113 | 46.31% | 52.53% | R+6.2 | 49.13% | 47.23% | D+1.9 | R
114 | 43.48% | 55.23% | R+11.7 | 52.14% | 43.21% | D+8.9 | R
115 | 43.23% | 55.27% | R+12 | 51.54% | 43.64% | D+7.9 | R
116 | 60.53% | 37.80% | D+22.7 | 63.73% | 31.10% | D+32.6 | D
117 | 51.99% | 46.85% | D+5.1 | 53.23% | 42.14% | D+11.1 | D
118 | 55.33% | 43.41% | D+11.9 | 55.58% | 40.41% | D+15.2 | D
119 | 60.26% | 38.58% | D+21.7 | 60.13% | 36.08% | D+24.1 | D
120 | 64.75% | 34.11% | D+30.6 | 63.51% | 32.10% | D+31.4 | D
121 | 37.61% | 60.88% | R+23.3 | 43.42% | 51.69% | R+8.3 | R
122 | 30.87% | 67.87% | R+37 | 37.75% | 57.87% | R+20.1 | R
123 | 61.36% | 36.80% | D+24.6 | 65.02% | 30.27% | D+34.7 | D
124 | 60.94% | 37.65% | D+23.3 | 62.19% | 33.04% | D+29.1 | D
125 | 59.11% | 39.59% | D+19.5 | 61.62% | 33.69% | D+27.9 | D
126 | 36.72% | 62.08% | R+25.4 | 43.00% | 52.94% | R+9.9 | R
127 | 29.60% | 69.21% | R+39.6 | 34.90% | 61.23% | R+26.3 | R
128 | 26.59% | 72.37% | R+45.8 | 28.77% | 68.15% | R+39.4 | R
129 | 33.88% | 64.47% | R+30.6 | 40.06% | 55.33% | R+15.3 | R
130 | 22.81% | 75.91% | R+53.1 | 27.96% | 68.06% | R+40.1 | R
131 | 83.65% | 15.69% | D+68 | 84.29% | 13.35% | D+70.9 | D
132 | 39.77% | 58.92% | R+19.2 | 45.68% | 50.04% | R+4.4 | R
133 | 30.41% | 68.14% | R+37.7 | 41.12% | 54.52% | R+13.4 | R
134 | 41.74% | 56.39% | R+14.7 | 55.09% | 39.61% | D+15.5 | R
135 | 39.86% | 58.83% | R+19 | 46.82% | 48.89% | R+2.1 | R
136 | 41.43% | 55.34% | R+13.9 | 47.69% | 45.16% | D+2.5 | R
137 | 63.91% | 34.49% | D+29.4 | 67.00% | 28.92% | D+38.1 | D
138 | 39.30% | 59.18% | R+19.9 | 47.85% | 47.78% | D+0.1 | R
139 | 75.62% | 23.61% | D+52 | 76.12% | 20.61% | D+55.5 | D
140 | 70.10% | 28.98% | D+41.1 | 75.09% | 21.87% | D+53.2 | D
141 | 87.41% | 12.07% | D+75.3 | 85.19% | 12.59% | D+72.6 | D
142 | 77.41% | 21.97% | D+55.4 | 76.20% | 20.97% | D+55.2 | D
143 | 67.18% | 31.86% | D+35.3 | 71.02% | 26.02% | D+45 | D
144 | 50.77% | 47.88% | D+2.9 | 57.75% | 38.37% | D+19.4 | D
145 | 60.26% | 38.28% | D+22 | 66.92% | 28.72% | D+38.2 | D
146 | 78.82% | 20.05% | D+58.8 | 79.43% | 17.32% | D+62.1 | D
147 | 78.07% | 20.30% | D+57.8 | 78.99% | 16.78% | D+62.2 | D
148 | 56.59% | 41.08% | D+15.5 | 63.82% | 30.50% | D+33.3 | D
149 | 58.76% | 40.12% | D+18.6 | 64.25% | 32.50% | D+31.8 | D
150 | 30.28% | 68.55% | R+38.3 | 36.63% | 59.18% | R+22.6 | R
Total | 41.40% | 57.19% | R+15.8 | 43.48% | 52.53% | R+9.1 | \-
Source: Daily Kos

## See also[edit]

Dallas, Texas | Texas | Municipal government | Other local coverage

|
|
|

* 2018 Dallas elections
* 2017 Dallas elections
* Dallas, Texas

* 2019 Texas elections
* Public policy in Texas
* Endorsers in Texas
* Texas

* Top counties
* 100 largest cities
* Current mayors
* Current council officials

* 2019 municipal elections
* 2019 school board elections
* 2019 local ballot measure elections
* 2019 local judicial elections

## External links[edit]

| Suggest a link

|

* Search Google News for this topic
* Dallas, Texas

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Dallas News, "Here's how campaign cash could impact stretch run race for Dallas mayor," April 8, 2019
2. ↑ NBC DFW, "Dallas Mayoral Candidates Take Part in Public Forum," April 8, 2019
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 KERA News, "Here's The Final List Of The 9 Candidates For Dallas Mayor," February 19, 2019
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Dallas City Attorney, "City Council Rules of Procedure," accessed April 11, 2019
5. ↑ Run for Office, "Dallas Mayor," accessed March 12, 2019
6. ↑ Mike Ablon's 2019 campaign website, "About," accessed April 8, 2019
7. ↑ WFAA, "Meet Mike Ablon, candidate for Dallas mayor," updated March 8, 2019
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Mike Ablon's 2019 campaign website, "Issues," accessed March 25, 2019
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `wfaa`
10. ↑ Albert Black's 2019 campaign website, "Meet Albert Black," accessed April 8, 2019
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 WFAA, "Meet Albert Black, candidate for Dallas mayor," updated March 7, 2019
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Albert Black's 2019 campaign website, "Issues," accessed March 25, 2019
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 WFAA, "Meet Scott Griggs, candidate for Dallas mayor," updated March 7, 2019
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Scott Griggs' 2019 campaign website, "Issues," accessed March 25, 2019
15. ↑ Eric Johnson's 2019 campaign website, "About," accessed April 9, 2019
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Eric Johnson's 2019 campaign website, "Issues," accessed April 5, 2019
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 17.6 17.7 17.8 WFAA, "Meet the candidates for Dallas mayor," updated April 4, 2019
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 WFAA, "Meet Alyson Kennedy, candidate for Dallas mayor," updated March 7, 2019
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 WFAA, "WFAA invited each of the nine candidates for Dallas mayor to answer questions for voters before the May 4th election," updated March 29, 2019
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Lynn McBee's 2019 campaign website, "Priorities," accessed March 25, 2019
21. ↑ Dallas Bar Association, "Regina Montoya," accessed April 8, 2019
22. ↑ Regina Montoya's 2019 campaign website, "A Lifetime of Servant Leadership," accessed April 8, 2019
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 WFAA, "Meet Regina Montoya, candidate for Dallas mayor," updated March 8, 2019
24. ↑ Regina Montoya's 2019 campaign website, "Platform," accessed April 8, 2019
25. ↑ Dallas News, "Voter Guide: Miguel Solis," accessed April 30, 2019
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 WFAA, "Meet Miguel Solis, candidate for Dallas mayor," updated March 8, 2019
27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Miguel Solis' 2019 campaign website, "Miguel for Mayor," accessed March 25, 2019
28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 WFAA, "Meet Jason Villalba, candidate for Dallas mayor," updated March 8, 2019
29. ↑ Jason Villalba's 2019 campaign website, "About," accessed April 9, 2019
30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Jason Villalba's 2019 campaign website, "Issues," accessed March 25, 2019
31. ↑ Dallas News, "With Election Day near, some Dallas mayoral candidates pull away in money race," April 27, 2019
32. ↑ CBS DFW, "McBee, Johnson Lead In Fundraising, Cash On-Hand In Dallas Mayoral Race," April 5, 2019
33. ↑ Dallas City Hall, "Campaign Finance Electronic Filing System search," accessed April 29, 2019
34. ↑ D Magazine, "Dallas Mayoral Poll Week Nine: More Money, More Votes," April 29, 2019
35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4 35.5 35.6 35.7 35.8 Scott Griggs' 2019 campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed May 9, 2019
36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Eric Johnson's 2019 campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed April 18, 2019
37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 D Magazine, "Let’s Break Down This List of Eric Johnson Mayoral Endorsements Together," March 26, 2019
38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 38.3 38.4 38.5 38.6 38.7 38.8 38.9 Regina Montoya's 2019 campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed April 25, 2019
39. ↑ Dallas News, "To build a better future, Dallas should focus on these three mayoral candidates," April 21, 2019
40. ↑ The Daily Campus, "Our recommendation for Dallas mayor: Miguel Solis," May 3, 2019
41. ↑ Mike Ablon's 2019 campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed March 12, 2019
42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 D Magazine, "Heavy Hitters Solicit Cash for Mayoral Candidate Eric Johnson," February 14, 2019
43. ↑ '"WBAP, "Hillary Clinton Weighs In On Dallas Mayoral Race," March 21, 2019
44. ↑ Dallas News, "Dallas City Council member Scott Griggs picks up a big endorsement for mayoral campaign," April 15, 2019
45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 45.3 45.4 45.5 45.6 Scott Griggs' 2019 campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed April 18, 2019
46. ↑ Instagram, "Scott Griggs on April 1, 2019," accessed April 8, 2019
47. ↑ Stonewall Democrats of Dallas, "Stonewall Democrats of Dallas 2019 Joint Election Endorsements," accessed April 12, 2019
48. ↑ Twitter, "EMILY's List on March 15, 2019," accessed March 19, 2019
49. ↑ Facebook, "Latina List and MABA Endorse Montoya for Mayor," April 23, 2019
50. ↑ Facebook, "Mexican American Bar Association on April 30," accessed May 2, 2019
51. ↑ Facebook, "Miguel Solis on March 27, 2019," accessed March 28, 2019
52. ↑ 52.00 52.01 52.02 52.03 52.04 52.05 52.06 52.07 52.08 52.09 52.10 52.11 52.12 52.13 52.14 52.15 52.16 52.17 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
53. ↑ WFAA, "Meet Alyson Kennedy, candidate for Dallas mayor," March 7, 2019
54. ↑ Regina Montoya's 2019 campaign website, "Platform," accessed March 25, 2019
55. ↑ Federal Bureau of Investigation, "Crime in the United States 2011, Table 78, Texas," accessed April 6, 2019
56. ↑ Federal Bureau of Investigation, "Crime in the United States 2017, Table 78, Texas," accessed April 6, 2019
57. ↑ Dallas News, "In Dallas, police are slower to the scene as response times grow," January 13, 2019
58. ↑ NBC DFW, "Dallas Police and Firefighters to Receive Raises," September 5, 2018
59. ↑ Dallas City Hall, "City of Dallas FY 2018-19 Budget," accessed April 5, 2019
60. ↑ Business Insider, "Dallas has a pension problem," November 24, 2016
61. ↑ Dallas News, "Dallas Police and Fire Pension System wins big case at Texas Supreme Court," March 8, 2019
62. ↑ Pensions & Investments, "Texas appeals court upholds DROP reductions at Dallas Police & Fire plan," December 14, 2016
63. ↑ Texas Tribune, "How a "perfect storm" of problems has shrunk Texas' largest city police forces," August 24, 2017
64. ↑ Dallas News, "In crowded Dallas mayor's race, police issues take center stage," April 4, 2019
65. ↑ City of Dallas, "Upcoming Elections," accessed September 19, 2014
66. ↑ City of Dallas, "Notice of Deadline to File," accessed January 6, 2015
67. ↑ Dallas County Elections, "2015 Unofficial Election Results," accessed May 9, 2015
68. ↑ City of Dallas, "2015 Official Candidate List," accessed March 18, 2015
69. ↑ Texas Monthly, "What's the Matter with Dallas?" July 2005
70. ↑ 70.0 70.1 U.S. Census, "State and County Quick Facts," accessed August 29, 2014
71. ↑ Dallas City Hall, "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report," March 30, 2018
72. ↑ Dallas City Hall, "Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Adopted Budget in Brief," accessed March 15, 2019
73. ↑ Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
74. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
75. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017

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