Irving voters get their first crack at the ballot box tomorrow, when early voting opens for the city’s general election and runs through April 28, ahead of Election Day on May 2. The ballot features the mayor’s race and three single-member council seats, Places 3, 5 and 6, and the city has posted candidate information and local voting locations. Dallas County voters may use any county vote center during early voting and on Election Day. With several contested seats in play, election officials and candidates are urging residents to confirm their registration and lock in a voting plan now instead of waiting until the last minute.
Dates and official notice
According to the City of Irving, early voting runs from April 20 through April 28, and Election Day is May 2. The City of Irving has also pushed out a quick announcement video on its official Facebook reel to walk residents through the basics.
State advisory and scheduling
The Texas Secretary of State’s May election advisory flags Tuesday, April 21, San Jacinto Day, as a legal holiday, so early voting will not take place on that date. The same advisory spells out timing rules and administrative guidance that cities and other jurisdictions rely on when building early voting schedules and setting their local deadlines, and Irving officials have baked those rules into the published hours.
Hours and local vote centers
The city’s election page lists daily early voting hours as April 20, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; April 22 through 24, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; April 25, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; April 26, noon to 6 p.m.; and April 27 and 28, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Four in-city early voting centers are named: Irving City Hall, Irving Arts Center, Dallas College North Lake and Valley Ranch Library. The same page carries the candidate roster for mayor and Places 3, 5 and 6, listing mayoral contenders Zhanae Jackson, Olivia E. Novelo Abreu and Al Zapanta; Place 3 candidates Tammam Alwan, Abdul Khabeer and Kejal Patel; Place 5 candidate Mark Cronenwett; and Place 6 candidates Fahad Ahmed, Dana Collins and Sushil C. Patel. Election Day polls are scheduled from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and voters are advised to confirm any Election Day vote center locations with the Dallas County Elections Department.
Local context
The May 2 ballot briefly included a DART withdrawal question, but the City Council voted in February to cancel that referendum after reaching an agreement with the transit agency, as reported by The Dallas Morning News. The DART talks and the council’s February reversal have stayed in circulation as a recurring topic at candidate forums and around town in the runup to the general election.
Turnout and what’s at stake
May municipal elections in Texas typically pull in far fewer voters than November general elections, a long-running point of debate at the Capitol as lawmakers weigh whether more local races should move to the fall. The Texas Tribune has highlighted how turnout drops sharply between November contests and spring city elections, even though local decisions on transit, zoning, parks and public safety can hinge on those smaller numbers.
Voters can check registration status, track down the nearest vote center and review identification requirements at the Dallas County Elections site. Residents with city-specific questions can contact the City Secretary’s Office at (972) 721-2493. Officials recommend confirming hours and locations before you head out in case of late changes.
