Early voting underway in runoff elections in Districts 3 and 4 for DCCCD Board of Trustees

All DCCCD employees and students are encouraged to participate in the runoff elections to fill the two remaining open seats on the DCCCD Board of Trustees. While only voters who live in precincts with runoff contests can vote, those who live elsewhere are encouraged to inform their friends and family who can vote. Early voting runs June 6-14, and Election Day is Saturday, June 18.

In District 3, which covers the northeastern quadrant of Dallas County, including Sachse, Garland, Rowlett, Lake Highlands and other parts of Northeast Dallas, Dorothy Zimmermann and Tommy Reed will compete in a runoff to succeed Trustee Jerry Prater.

In District 4, which covers the southeastern wedge of Dallas County stretching from Lakewood and parts of East Dallas and Pleasant Grove to Mesquite, Sunnyvale, Seagoville and Balch Springs, Monica Lira Bravo and Martha Jo Talbot will compete in a runoff to succeed Trustee Bill Metzger.

For those who wish to vote early, the Dallas County Elections Department has published a PDF document with all of the early voting polling places. You also can see a Google Map of the early voting locations at this link. For early voting polling places, hours vary by day. Those who choose to vote early can do so at any of the early voting polling places.

Those who wish to vote on the June 18 Joint Runoff Election Day should find their precinct at this link, and then use this link to find their June 18 Election Day polling place. Election Day polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on June 18 only.

Voters who live in District 3 or District 4 who have chosen to vote absentee by mail must return their absentee ballot to the Dallas County Elections Department before Saturday, June 18.

Runoff elections set for June 18; early voting runs June 6-14

Voters will select representatives to fill the two remaining open seats on the DCCCD Board of Trustees in a runoff election scheduled for Saturday, June 18, 2016.

"The most important election in the last 40 years of the DCCCD is only half-finished," said Fred Newbury, president of the Dallas Community College Faculty Association (DCCFA). "All DCCCD retirees; current faculty, staff and administrators; and current and former students, need to remain involved and engaged through June 18."

Trustees represent the community in the oversight and governance of the DCCCD and are elected to six year terms to represent single-member districts, as depicted on this map. Terms for Districts 1 (currently represented by Sonny Williams) and 7 (Charletta Rogers Compton) expire in 2018. Terms for Districts 5 (Wesley Jameson) and 6 (Diana Flores) expire in 2020. Phil Ritter was elected May 7 to represent District 2 to succeed Trustee Bob Ferguson.

"Past runoff elections often generate no more than a few hundred votes. Working together, we have an unprecedented opportunity to shape the future of the DCCCD," Newbury said.

In District 3, which covers the northeastern quadrant of Dallas County, including Sachse, Garland, Rowlett, Lake Highlands and other parts of Northeast Dallas, Dorothy Zimmermann and Tommy Reed will compete in a runoff to succeed Trustee Jerry Prater.

In District 4, which covers the southeastern wedge of Dallas County stretching from Lakewood and parts of East Dallas and Pleasant Grove to Mesquite, Sunnyvale, Seagoville and Balch Springs, Monica Lira Bravo and Martha Jo Talbot will compete in a runoff to succeed Trustee Bill Metzger.

Early voting will be available from June 6 to June 14. The Dallas County Elections Department has published a PDF document with all of the early voting polling places. You also can see a Google Map of the early voting locations at this link. For early voting polling places, hours vary by day. Those who choose to vote early can do so at any of the early voting polling places.

For the June 18 Joint Runoff Election Day, polling places can be found at this link. If you choose to vote on June 18, you must vote at the polling place assigned to your precinct. Election Day polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on June 18 only. You can find your precinct at this link.

Voters who live in District 3 or District 4 who wish to vote absentee by mail may complete an Application for Ballot By Mail form, and return that completed form to the address indicated on the form. Application forms must be received by the Dallas County Elections Department, by Friday, June 3, in order for a voter to receive an absentee ballot before election day, June 18.

"Even if you are not registered to vote or do not live in District 3 or District 4, you can get involved by sharing information with your friends and family who do, and explaining the importance of the vital role the DCCCD plays in improving lives and growing the economy," Newbury said.

More information is available from The Dallas Morning News.

Phil Ritter wins District 2; Districts 3 and 4 headed for June 18 runoffs

Dallas County voters on May 7 cast ballots in races to fill three open seats on the DCCCD Board of Trustees.

In District 2, Phil Ritter won the race to succeed the retiring Trustee Bob Ferguson.

No candidate secured a majority of votes in District 3 or District 4.

In District 3, Dorothy Zimmermann and Tommy Reed will compete in a runoff election on June 18, to succeed the retiring Trustee Jerry Prater.

In District 4, Monica Lira Bravo and Martha Jo Talbot will compete in a runoff election on June 18, to succeed the retiring Trustee Bill Metzger.

Early voting will be available from June 6 to June 14. Polling places for early voting and the June 18 election day have not yet been made available.

Voters who live in District 3 or District 4 who wish to vote absentee by mail may complete an Application for Ballot By Mail form, and return that completed form to the address indicated on the form. Applications to vote absentee by mail must be received by the Dallas County Elections Department, by Friday, June 3, to receive an absentee ballot before the June 18 election day.

More information is available from The Dallas Morning News.

Dallas Morning News publishes voters guide for DCCCD Board of Trustees races; League of Women Voters publishes candidate information

VOTERS GUIDES: The Dallas Morning News has published a comprehensive voters' guide for the May 7 Joint Election, in which three new members of the DCCCD Board of Trustees will be elected. With these links, you can compare candidates side by side for District 2, District 3, and District 4.

The League of Women Voters of Dallas has published their May 7 Joint Election Voters Guide. DCCCD Board of Trustees candidate profiles begin on Page 9 of the PDF document.

The DCCFA has sent a questionnaire to all ten candidates and eight have responded. Their responses are located at these links: Monica Lira Bravo, Frank Millsap, J.C. Osborne, Tommy Reed, Phil Ritter, Gene Robinson, Martha Jo Talbot, and Dorothy Zimmermann. Candidates Richard Morgan (District 2) and Brad T. Underwood (District 4) have not returned a questionnaire.

HOW TO FIND YOUR PRECINCT, POLLING PLACE, AND SAMPLE BALLOT:
If you are a resident of Dallas County, you can click on this Voter Lookup Link to find your elected officials, including your DCCCD Board of Trustees district. You will need to enter your first name, last name, and date of birth. The sample ballot will also indicate your official May 7 polling place.

DCCCD BOARD ELECTIONS IN THE NEWS:
Campaign mailers sent by two candidates were covered in The Dallas Morning News Education Blog and on WFAA.com.

EARLY VOTING THROUGH TUESDAY, MAY 3:
Early voting begins Monday, April 25. You can find the early voting location closest to your home or campus at the Joint Elections Early Voting Locations PDF Link.

Video of April 27 Candidates Forum at North Lake College

Video of the April 27 Board of Trustees Candidates Forum at North Lake College is now available for viewing.

Video of April 14 Board of Trustees Candidates Forum at Brookhaven College

Video of the March 30 Board of Trustees Candidates Forum at Brookhaven College is now available for viewing.

Video of the March 30 DCCCD Board of Trustees Candidates Forum at Eastfield College

Video of the March 30 DCCCD Board of Trustees Candidates Forum at Eastfield College is available on YouTube at this link.

Nine candidates participated. From District 2, Richard Morgan, J.C. Osborne, Phil Ritter, and Gene Robinson participated. From District 3, Frank Millsap and Dorothy Zimmermann participated. From District 4, Monica Lira Bravo, Martha Jo Talbot, and Brad Underwood participated. Only Tommy Reed (District 3) was unable to participate.

Phil Ritter - District 2 Candidate

1. Please provide a brief biography that explains your educational and professional background.

I am an attorney and I have held executive management roles with Texas Instruments Incorporated (20 years), Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (5 years) and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (2 years). I have a BA with Honors in Urban Studies from the University of Maryland – College Park; a Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law, and a Masters of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs – University of Texas at Austin. More information is available at https://www.linkedin.com/in/pjritter.

During my time with Texas Instruments, which included service on the TI Foundation, I became deeply involved in education policy, with particular emphasis on early childhood education, STEM, and university advancement. This led to my service as chairman of the Alliance for Higher Education (which ran DFW’s first distance education network beginning in the 1960s), the Texas Education Reform Caucus, and my current role as Chairman of the Development Board of the University of Texas at Dallas. I was active for many years in the DCCCD Foundation, focusing on efforts to raise funds for Rising Star Scholarships. In 2004 I chaired the successful $450 million bond campaign for DCCCD.

2. What is the role of the elected Board of Trustees from your perspective? How does that role relate to your individual input as an elected trustee?  How would you describe the efforts that will be necessary to be effective in your role – and what has prepared you to be successful in that role?

The Board’s role is to set policy and provide fiduciary oversight, review and approve annual budgets, and hire the Chancellor and hold him/her accountable for defined results.

Trustees come from a variety of backgrounds, and it is important that trustees listen to each other as well as bringing their own perspectives to the board table. No Trustee can act unilaterally on behalf of the district, so the collective ability of the board to forge consensus is vital to the success of the DCCCD.

I have been fortunate to participate on the board of directors and in executive staff roles with two successful public entities: Dallas Area Rapid Transit, and DFW International Airport respectively. These experiences prepare me to serve as a Trustee of DCCCD. I believe my strengths lie in the areas of articulating and advancing strategic goals, creating appropriate metrics and accountability, and being an effective advocate in the community and with state and federal government.

3. What is the role of the DCCCD in the educational marketplace in Dallas County? What is your agenda to continue to improve the quality and availability of educational programs to the citizens of Dallas County?

There are four primary roles for DCCCD in the educational marketplace: to serve as a high quality and cost effective option for lower division four-year degree candidates; to deliver training leading to two year degrees and certifications for technical, vocational and allied health professions; and to provide a reentry point for adults who seek to return to higher education for re-training or to seek a degree; and to serve as a contract training resource for employers.

As Trustee I will strive to improve the quality and availability of educational programs by allocating resources to student success initiatives, reducing administrative expenses, and facilitating constructive collaboration and resource development activities with businesses and individuals in the private sector.

4. If elected, how will you advocate for DCCCD students, employees, and colleges, in your dealings with business, the community, other public servants, and voters?

I will be a visible presence in the community on behalf of DCCCD, and I will advocate for the district with the substantial network of elected officials, opinion leaders, educators and business executives that I have established through my 30-year professional career in Dallas, the State of Texas, and nationally. I will participate and seek leadership roles in business, policy, and educational organizations that advance the mission of DCCCD. I will make myself accessible to my constituents and the stakeholders of the district, including students, professors, and staff members.

5. What do you see as the biggest assets, challenges, and opportunities, in the DCCCD? How will you strengthen those assets to meet the challenges and opportunities we face? What particular skills and connections do you bring that can benefit the Board as a whole, and by extension the DCCCD?

The biggest asset of the district is the quality of its vision and mission, and the scale by which it delivers high quality, affordable higher education to the community. The biggest challenge facing the district is balancing revenues and expenditures; and particularly assuring that tuition remains affordable while not overburdening taxpayers in an era of declining state revenue. The biggest opportunity for the district is to innovate new and creative models for designing and delivering education and training to meet the demands of the growing DFW economy. I intend to bring my business experience to the table in the budgeting process, and maximize return on the substantial revenues entrusted to DCCCD by taxpayers, students and their families. I will hone my advocacy skills on behalf of DCCCD, developed through my service on the DCCCD Foundation and as chair of the 2004 Bond Campaign, to drive results that advance the mission of the DCCCD. I will support the Chancellor and assure appropriate accountability by DCCCD administration. I have spent most of my adult life engaged in advocacy for business and education, and I know the audiences and control points that influence the success of DCCCD. I embrace the opportunity to serve as Trustee, and I respectfully ask for your vote.