Four of the seven seats on the City Council are up for election on May 7, an occurrence that materializes every three years, says City Secretary Susie Quinn.
“Because of the schedule of elections spelled out in our City charter, these four seats are up for the voting process this year,” she said. “The other two Council seats and the Mayor’s position are on a different election cycle.”
The four seats up for election, Places 1, 2, 4 and 6, are all at-large, meaning that anyone who resides in Murphy has the opportunity to file for the seats. All four incumbents are eligible to run for reelection, if they so choose. Current occupants of the four Council positions up for election include Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Owais Siddiqui in Place 1, Ben St. Clair in Place 2, Betty Spraggins in Place 4 and Rob Thomas in Place 6.
To declare for candidacy, residents much meet certain eligibility requirements and fill out the appropriate paperwork. Among the requirements are: a minimum age of 21 at the time of election; being a registered voter; and having lived in Murphy for at least 12 months prior to election. The first day to file as a candidate is Wednesday, Jan. 20 and the final day is Friday, Feb. 19. Forms may be obtained from the City Secretary’s office at City Hall, 206 North Murphy Road, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on regular work days.
Voting for these positions is restricted to Murphy residents who have duly registered with the State of Texas within the time frame allotted. To be eligible to vote on May 7, individuals must be registered by April 7.
Early Voting will be available, scheduled by the Collin County Elections Center. Details on schedules and locations for Early Voting will be provided as the county finalizes them. As customary, though, any Murphy resident who is eligible to vote may do so at any Early Voting location in Collin County, including the Murphy Community Center, which will again serve as both an Early Voting site and Election Day polling place.
The Murphy City Council, at their discretion, may also use the May 7 election for any special purposes, such as a bond election or for charter amendments. There are currently no plans to call for a special election for these purposes, however.
“Voting is a privilege that should not be ignored,” said Quinn. “There are many people around the world who have no say in who their local leaders will be. We do, and we should not waste that opportunity.”
Information on the election can be obtained by contacting the City of Murphy at (972) 468-4011.
