Dallas City Council Member Sues to Get on Ballot Despite Term Limit
Update:
CORRECTION, 12:30 a.m., 3/4/25: An earlier version of this story misquoted a portion of the petition.
Petition Filed with State Appeals Court
Dallas City Council member Carolyn King Arnold has filed an emergency petition with a state appeals court to get on the May 3 election ballot, despite being deemed term-limited by the city. The petition argues that a city charter amendment approved by voters in November does not apply to her, as it does not explicitly state that it covers past and current council members.
The Argument
According to the petition, "Laws are presumed to operate prospectively unless they explicitly say they operate retroactively." The charter amendment does not explicitly state that it applies to past service as a member of the City Council. As a result, the city secretary has a legal "ministerial duty" to put the incumbent on the ballot, the council member argues.
Background
Arnold has served four full two-year terms since 2015, but because the terms were not consecutive, she was eligible to run for one more two-year term as of October. Then, 69% of voters approved Proposition E, which bans single district council members who’ve served four two-year terms from being a future candidate for any seat on the council except mayor.
The Previous Charter Rules
The previous charter rules reset the total term count after a term-limited or ousted mayor or city council member allowed one election cycle to pass before running again. This means that Arnold’s service was not continuous, and she was not term-limited by the new rules.
The Dispute
Arnold filed for reelection to represent District 4 on January 23 and was ruled ineligible by City Secretary Bilierae Johnson the next day, saying Arnold didn’t meet the qualifications to be put on the ballot. Arnold’s petition argues that she has a right to be on the ballot and is seeking a spot on the May 3 election ballot.
The Election
The District 4 race as of Monday includes Kebran Alexander, Avis Hardaman, and Dallas Independent School District Trustee Maxie Johnson. All 14 single-district City Council seats will be up for grabs in the May 3 election, and four don’t have an incumbent in the race. Mayor Eric Johnson was reelected in 2023 and is still serving his second and final four-year term, which ends in 2027.
Election Deadlines
The last day to register to vote is April 3, and early voting runs from April 22 through April 29.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the issue at hand?
A: Dallas City Council member Carolyn King Arnold is seeking to get on the May 3 election ballot despite being deemed term-limited by the city.
Q: Why is she challenging the term limit?
A: Arnold argues that the city charter amendment approved by voters in November does not apply to her, as it does not explicitly state that it covers past and current council members.
Q: What are the implications of this case?
A: If Arnold is successful, it could set a precedent for other term-limited officials to challenge the new rules and seek to run for office again.
Q: What is the deadline to register to vote?
A: The last day to register to vote is April 3.
