Come May 1, 2021, Amarillo voters will cast their ballots to decide who will lead Amarillo and represent taxpayers on the City Council for two years. After two years of controversy and challenges for the community, this election cycle is expected to be as robust as ever, with multiple candidates rumored to be considering entering the races.
But, with the election just over five months away, it’s time to take a very early look at how the races for the Amarillo City Council are shaping up. Yes, it’s five months away, but it’s never too early to consider your choices as a voter.
As a reminder, none of the candidate fields listed below are set, as the filing period for the ballot does not begin until January 13, 2021, and closes on February 12, 2021. Because of this, it is safe to consider that even more candidates will enter these races and some candidates might not appear on the ballot in May.
With that out of the way, let’s get to it.
Mayor
Incumbent: Ginger Nelson
Incumbent Running?: Unknown
Candidates: Jeffrey McElreath, Claudette Smith
Mayor Ginger Nelson won re-election in 2019 with about 64% of the vote against activist Kip Billups and paralegal Claudette Smith. Nelson drew her first challenger last month in the form of self-employed candidate Jeffrey McElreath, who is a political newcomer. Smith is also back for another go at the mayor’s job after receiving under 25% of the vote two years ago. Nelson has not yet announced whether she will seek re-election.
City Council, Place 1
Incumbent: Elaine Hays
Incumbent Running?: No
Candidates: Hobert “Gunny” Brown, Cole Stanley
After failing to gain traction in her congressional bid earlier this year, Elaine Hays announced earlier this month that she is calling it quits after four years on the City Council. Candidates immediately announced their plans to seek her job, with United States Marine Corps veteran and federal employee Gunny Brown launching his bid first. Brown was followed days later by local builder Cole Stanley.
City Council, Place 2
Incumbent: Freda Powell
Incumbent Running?: Unknown
Candidates: Joe West
Councilwoman Freda Powell won her second term in office in 2019, and has since been publicly quiet about her plans for a possible re-election bid. Either way, Amarillo College administrative assistant Joe West has made no secret of his plans, announcing his candidacy for Powell’s job. It is yet to be seen whether Powell will run for a third term and whether any other candidates will step up to the plate for this seat.
City Council, Place 3
Incumbent: Eddy Sauer
Incumbent Running?: Unknown
Candidates: None
While there has been movement from candidates on the other City Council seats, the race for Amarillo City Council Place 3 has been extremely quiet. Incumbent Eddy Sauer, who won his second term in office last May, has not yet announced his plans for 2019, and no challengers have emerged for this seat.
City Council, Place 4
Incumbent: Howard Smith
Incumbent Running?: Yes
Candidates: Howard Smith, Ali Ramos
Howard Smith, the oldest incumbent on the City Council, is the only one to have announced their plans to seek re-election so far. Smith didn’t have to wait long for a challenger, with local social work instructor Ali Ramos emerging as an opponent for the two-term incumbent.
With all of these races, it is worth once again noting that candidates who are interested in running still have plenty of time to do so. If you are interested in running for City Council, filing for the ballot begins on January 13, 2021, and will last for about a month. Candidates must be registered voters within the city and not indebted to the City in order to qualify for the ballot. Candidates may pay $100 or submit signatures from 100 voters in the city in order to qualify for the ballot.
Candidates can file their applications with the Amarillo City Secretary, who is located on the third floor of City Hall. For any questions, you can contact the City Secretary’s office by calling 806-378-3014 or by emailing frances.hibbs@Amarillo.gov.