May elections approach, candidates file

While the May election season steadily approaches for Dripping Springs ISD, the city of Dripping Springs has canceled its general election, thanks to a ballot of unopposed candidates.

At its meeting on Tuesday Feb. 21, the Dripping Springs City Council passed an ordinance to cancel the May 6 election and to declare each unopposed candidate elected to office. In doing so, Mayor Pro Tem Taline Manassian, Council Member Place 1; Geoffrey Tahuahua, Council Member Place 3; and Sherrie Parks, Council Member Place 5, were all re-elected to office for another two-year term ending in May of 2026.

According to the ordinance, the city secretary certified in writing that each candidate on the ballot was unopposed for election to office and that the filing deadlines for placement on the ballot and declaration of writein candidacy had passed. Therefore, in keeping with the Texas Election Code, the governing body (in this case, the city council) was able to declare each unopposed candidate elected and cancel the election.

However, the May 6 election continues to pose some big questions for DSISD, including who will join its Board of Trustees and whether or not its bond package will pass.

Four candidates are currently running for two positions on the DSISD Board of Trustees. They are (in ballot order) incumbent Ron Jones, Rob McClelland, Jeffrey Aylstock and Kim Cousins. Applications previously submitted by Mary Clarkson and John Adams were withdrawn.

Currently, the positions up for election are held by Ron Jones and Barbara Stroud. Dripping Springs trustees do not represent “places.” The top two vote-getters on May 6 will be elected to the DSISD Board of Trustees, which consists of seven unsalaried district patrons elected to three-year terms representing all residents in the school district.

The current board of trustees put forth a bond for election in November of 2022 — a bond package which totalled $481.1 million and included three different propositions. The bond did not pass, and the resulting bond (up for election this May) was pared down to $223.7 million. While this year’s bond still includes a sixth elementary school, an expansion of Sycamore Springs Middle School and various safety, security and technology updates, the new bond package does not include the building of a second high school, though it does include funding for its design stage. It also includes funding for the design of a seventh elementary school and a third middle school, all of which are intended to accommodate DSISD's rapid growth, according to the district.

Application forms and biographies for all candidates are posted at dsisdtx. us/elections.

Early voting will be held Monday, April 24 through Tuesday, May 2, and Election Day is Saturday, May 6.