Filing closes on Friday in the races for Amarillo Mayor and City Council Places 1, 2, 3, and 4. While candidates still have plenty of time tomorrow to reserve their spot on the ballot, it is worth taking a look at who has filed to run for office so far and how the races stack up.

Through Thursday, 14 candidates have filed to run for either Amarillo Mayor or City Council. This number is already tied with the number of candidates who sought election in the 2019 election cycle, with more candidate filings expected to come on Friday.

Here is a look at the races, so far:

Mayor

In the race for Amarillo Mayor, incumbent Ginger Nelson is seeking her third term in office. Nelson, the crown jewel of Amarillo Matters PAC’s electoral endeavors, was re-elected in 2019 over activist Kip Billups and paralegal Claudette Smith.

This year, Nelson is facing a challenge from businessman Michael Hunt, who is widely believed to be a formidable opponent for the incumbent. Hunt, owner of the Michael’s Barbeque Shack catering company, is running on a platform of bringing common-sense business practices back to local government.

Smith is also back for another attempt at unseating Nelson. Additionally, political newcomer Carl Karas has filed to run for mayor, seeking to bring new ideas to the table for the future of Amarillo.

City Council Place 1

Three candidates have filed to run for the seat currently held by retiring Amarillo City Councilwoman Elaine Hays, who is calling it quits after four years in office.

Cole Stanley, a local construction company owner, was the first candidate to file for Hays’ seat last month. Stanley is running on a platform of providing a growth mindset for Amarillo.

Next up, retired U.S. Marine Corps veteran Hobert “Gunny” Brown filed for the seat in January. Brown was the first candidate to announce a campaign for Hays’ seat, and is running as the grassroots choice for Amarillo voters.

Jason N. Tillery also filed for the seat this week, making the race a three-person contest. Tillery is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and a political newcomer.

City Council Place 2

Incumbent Councilwoman Freda Powell is seeking a third term in the Place 2 spot on the Amarillo City Council after defeating challenger Treva Harper in 2019. This year, Powell, another Amarillo Matters PAC politician, has already drawn one opponent.

Jason Foglesong, a high school government teacher, is challenging Powell on a platform of being the conservative candidate for the job. Foglesong previously served as a precinct chairman for the Potter County Republican Party, and ran a spirited campaign for the Republican nomination for Congress in Texas’ 13th Congressional District last year.

Additionally, administrative assistant Joe West has also announced a campaign for the seat, but has not yet filed.

City Council Place 3

Incumbent Eddy Sauer is seeking a third term in office after serving as one of Nelson’s top lieutenants on the City Council over the past four years. This year, Sauer has drawn one opponent in local businessman Tom Scherlen.

Scherlen, former CEO of Austin Hose, is challenging Sauer on a platform of bringing business experience and common-sense leadership to the City Council. Outside of his campaign, Scherlen also serves on the board of the 100 Club of the Texas Panhandle.

City Council Place 4

Rounding out the races on the Amarillo City Council ballot this year is the contest pitting incumbent Howard Smith against two political newcomers in his fight for re-election.

Ali Ramos was the first candidate to file for Smith’s seat and is running on a platform of enacting single-member districts and expanding the size of the Amarillo City Council. Ramos is a local social worker and social work instructor.

Behavioral counselor Sharyn Delgado has also stepped up to challenge Smith, running on a platform of addressing issues like homelessness, mental health, and addiction.

Candidates who are still interested in filing for office may do so on Friday. Candidates must turn in their applications and filing fee of $100 to the Amarillo City Secretary by 5pm.

For questions about running for office, call the City Secretary’s office at 806-378-3014 or send an email to frances.hibbs@Amarillo.gov.