Richardson residents can file for city council election beginning next week

City council and mayoral candidates, start your engines. Candidates for mayor and Richardson City Council Places 1 through 6 can file their application next week.

The city has announced that information packets for the race are currently available. The packets outline candidate qualifications, filing a petition and an application, conducting a campaign and the election process in general.

The city election is held every two years and the next one takes place on Sat., May 1, 2021.

Interested parties may pick up a packet in person but a pick-up time must be scheduled in advance by contacting the city secretary’s office at 972-744-4290 or by e-mail at aimee.nemer@cor.gov.

Upon request, packets are also available electronically.

The first day to file an application for a place on the ballot is Wed., Jan. 13. The deadline to file is Fri., Feb. 12, by 5 p.m.

Important voting dates are as follows:

• Last day to register to vote: Thurs., April 1.
• First day of early voting: Mon., April 19.
• Last day of early voting: Tues., April 27.
• City council election: Sat., May 1.

All Richardson city council seats carry two-year terms, and are up for election in May of every odd year.

Members representing Places 1 thru 4 must reside in those areas, but all council members are elected at-large by voters. Once elected, council members choose the mayor pro-tem from among the elected members.

Term limits for membership on the council are six terms or 12 consecutive years.