City, RISD early vote to start Monday

Early voting for the May 4 city and school elections in Rockdale begins Monday at City Hall.

Both elections are in the same place.

City voters will elect a mayor, two city council members and decide the fate of two proposed amendments to the city charter.

Rockdale ISD residents will elect three trustees but only one race is contested.

Early voting is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through April 26 and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 29 and 30.

CITY —Mayor John King is seeking his third term. He is opposed by Neil Switkowski.

East ward council member Joyce Dalley is seeking her fourth term. Also seeking the east ward position is Michelle Larkin.

Nathan Bland is seeking his third term on the council. He is opposed by Belinda Hillhouse.

SCHOOL BOARD—The only contested school board race is for Place 3 where Jillian McEntarffer and Amy Ogea Casas are seeking the position being vacated by four-term trustee Michelle Lehmkuhl.

Two other trustees are unopposed on the May 4 ballot. They are Charles Miles in Place 4 and Wenda Dyer in Place 5.

CHARTER–The charter amendments, part of the city election, are on page 3B of this week’s Reporter.

City of Rockdale voters will be asked to add a sentence to one section of the city charter, and remove one in another section on May 4.

The addition would clarify recall procedures for council members, specifying that recalls from voters in one ward can’t “cross the boundary line” and apply to members on the other ward.

The removal of words from a different section would allow a council member to be appointed to another “city office.”

CAN YOU VOTE?—The yellow voting card you used to cast a ballot in the 2018 elections is still in force this year.

To find out if you are eligible to vote in the Rock-dale city election turn it over and look at the boxes on the back.

Under “city” if it says “RKDE” or “RKDW” you are in the city limits and may vote in the city election.

Both designations will vote for mayor. RKDE votes in the east ward and RKDW in the west ward.

Under “school” if it says “RKDI” you’re a resident in the Rockdale Independent School District and may vote for all three positions on the school board ballot.