A Candidates Forum, sponsored by the Women’s Division of the DeLeon Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled for this Friday, April 27, beginning at 7 p.m. at the DeLeon City Hall.

All candidates in the May 12 local elections for the DeLeon City Council, DeLeon Independent School District Board of Trustees and the Comanche County Medical Center Board are invited to speak at the forum, and all interested voters are invited to attend and learn more about their local candidates.

This will be the only opportunity for local voters to hear the candidates speak, so if there are candidates that you do not know, or candidates you are having a difficult time deciding between, be sure and attend this forum.

In the City elections, three people have filed for Council Place 3, Fred Turner, Marion Quade and Benny Morris. Avery Carlisle (incumbent) and Roy Dale Freeman have both filed for Council Place 4. Gayle Stroud is running unopposed for Council Place 5.

The race for the three positions on the DISD board of trustees drew three new candidates, Laura Brown, Dwight Dold and Brad Sanders. Incumbents Kelly Dickey and Becky Golden both filed for re-election. The three DISD candidates with the most votes will be elected. Voters will also be asked to decide the fate of an $8 million school bond item.

In the race for the Comanche County Consolidated Hospital District Board of Directors, Janna Morris, Gayland Daugherty and Marvin McKinnon each filed for Place 1. Billy Ray Evans and Cedric Bettis both filed for Place 6. Dr. Beau McCrory filed for Place 2, and will run against incumbent Karen Carr. Gale Easley, Place 3, is running unopposed, as are Charles Mazurek, Place 4, and Joe Locke, Place 5.

There will also be a constitutional amendment on the ballot authorizing the legislature to provide for a reduction of the limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that may be imposed for public school purposes on the residence homesteads of the elderly or disabled to reflect any reduction in the rate of those taxes for the 2006 and 2007 tax years.”

The election is scheduled for Saturday, May 12, with early voting for the city and school election by personal appearance beginning Monday, April 30, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at City Hall, and ending on Tuesday, May 8.

Early voting for the Comanche County Consolidated Hospital District and the constitutional amendment will be conducted each weekday beginning April 30 through Tuesday, May 8. On the first and last day, there will be extended hours (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) but the hours will be 8:30 to 4:30 the remainder of the time.