May 6, 2023

On May 6, 2023, voters will elect three members of the Waco Independent School District Board of Trustees. This includes positions representing Trustee District 3, Trustee District 5, and At-Large Place 7. Trustees representing District 3 and At-Large Place 7 will be elected to serve three-year terms ending in May 2026. The district 5 trustee will be elected to serve the final two years of the current unexpired term for that position.

A downloadable map of the trustee districts can be found here. Following the 2020 Census, the boundaries of the single-member trustee districts were adjusted to balance the population in each district. More information on the redistricting process and the changes to the single-member trustee district boundaries can be found here.

To date, the following candidates have filed for a place on the May 6 ballot:

• Trustee District 3
  • Jose Vidaña

 

• Trustee District 5 (unexpired term)
  • Ashley Stone
    
  • Jim Patton
    
  • Abbie Ramirez
    
    
• At-Large, Place 7
  • Angelo Ochoa
  • Peaches Henry

 

The filing period for Trustee District 3 and At-Large, Place 7 will begin at 8 a.m. on January 18 and will end at 5 p.m. on February 17.  

The filing period for candidates seeking to serve the final two years of the unexpired term for District 5 will open when the school board orders a special election to fill the vacancy. The board is expected to order the special election at their meeting on February 16, 2023. In that case, the first day for candidates for District 5 to file an Application for a Place on the Waco Independent School District Special Election Ballot will be February 17, 2023, and the deadline will be 5 p.m. on March 6, 2023.

In Trustee District 3, Jose Vidana was uncontested for a full three-year term.

In the election to fill the unexpired term for Trustee District 5, Jim Patton was elected with 187 votes (57.36% of the ballots cast).

In At-Large Place 7, Angelo Ochoa was elected with 1,072 votes (50.07% of the ballots cast).

The following reports from the McLennan County Elections Department provide a more detailed look at the election results:

• Waco ISD Cumulative Report
• Waco ISD Precinct Report
• Waco ISD Canvass Report

Voter Registration

April 6, 2023 is the last day to register to vote or make a change of address effective for the May 7, 2022 election. You can check to see if you are registered to vote at VoteTexas.gov.

To register to vote in McLennan County, you must:

• Be 17 years, 10 months of age or older and turn 18 by Election Day;
• Be a United States citizen;
• Have not been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote;
• Have not been finally convicted of a felony, or if you are a felon, you must have completed all of your punishment, including any term of incarceration, parole, supervision, period of probation, or you must have received a pardon; and
• Be a resident of McLennan County.

 

Voting by Mail

April 25, 2023 is the last day to apply for a ballot by mail for the May 6, 2023 election.

Any registered voter in Texas may vote by mail if they meet one of the following criteria:

• They are 65 years or older;
• They are sick or disabled;
• They are out of the county on election day and during the period for early voting by personal appearance; or
• They are confined in jail but otherwise eligible. 

Applications must be received (not postmarked) in the county elections by 5 p.m. on April 25, 2023. For instructions on applying for a mail ballot or to check the status of a mail ballot, please visit the McLennan County Elections Department website.

 

Early Voting

Early voting will take place from April 24-29, 2023 and May 1-2, 2023.

During early voting, registered voters in Waco ISD may vote at any of the following early voting sites:

• McLennan County Elections Administration Office (214 N 4th St, Ste 300, Waco)
• Robinson Community Center (106 W Lyndale Ave, Robinson)
• Waco Multi-Purpose Community Center (1020 Elm Ave, Waco)
• West Waco Library (5301 Bosque Blvd, Waco)
• Hewitt City Hall/Library (200 Patriot Court, Hewitt)

 

Early voting sites will be open the following dates/times:

• April 24-28, 2023 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.;
• April 29, 2023 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and
• May 1-2, 2023 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

 

Early voting totals and voter lists are provided on the McLennan County Elections Department website.

 

Election Day

Election Day is Saturday, May 6, 2023.

On Election Day, registered voters in McLennan County can vote at any of the county's vote centers. Polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

A list of Election Day Vote Centers can be found on the McLennan County Elections Department website.

 

Voter ID Requirements

Texas requires voters to present one of the following "acceptable forms of photo ID":

• Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS);
• Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS;
• Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS;
• Texas Handgun License issued by DPS;
• United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph;
• United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph; or
• United States Passport (book or card).

 

With the exception of the U.S. Citizenship Certificate, which does not expire, for voters ages 18-69, the photo identification may not have expired more than four years before being presented. For voters age 70 and older, the photo identification may be expired for any length of time if it is otherwise valid.

For information on how to apply for a free Election Identification Certificate, please visit the Texas Department of Public Safety website.

If a voter does not have one of the forms of identification listed above and cannot reasonably obtain one, the voter can complete a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and provide one of the following supporting forms of ID:

• copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, including the voter’s voter registration certificate;
• copy of or original current utility bill;
• copy of or original bank statement;
• copy of or original government check;
• copy of or original paycheck; or
• copy of or original of (a) a certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity (which may include a foreign birth document).

 

 

Becoming a Candidate for School Board

A packet containing the forms required to become a candidate and additional information can be downloaded using the following link:

2023 Waco ISD Trustee Candidate Packet

2023 Waco ISD Special Election Trustee Candidate Packet *for District 5 Special Election Candidates

Printed copies of the packet are also available in the superintendent's office at the Waco ISD Administration Building (501 Franklin Ave, Waco).

 

Filing Period

The first day for candidates for Trustee District 4 and Trustee District 5 to file an Application for a Place on the Waco Independent School District General Election Ballot is January 18, 2023. The deadline to file is 5 p.m. on February 17, 2023.

The filing period for candidates seeking to serve the final two years of the unexpired term for District 5 will open when the school board orders a special election to fill the vacancy. The board is expected to order the special election at their meeting on February 16, 2023. In that case, the first day for candidates for District 5 to file an Application for a Place on the Waco Independent School District Special Election Ballot will be February 17, 2023, and the deadline will be 5 p.m. on March 6, 2023.

Applications for a place on the ballot can be filed in the superintendent’s office at the Waco ISD Administration Building (501 Franklin Ave, Waco, TX. 76701) in person between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, by mail, or by email to elizabeth.cox@wacoisd.org.

 

Drawing for Ballot Order

A drawing to determine the order in which candidates for Trustee District 3 and At-Large, Place 7 will be listed on the ballot is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on February 27, 2023 in the superintendent's office at the administration building.

A drawing to determine the order in which candidates for Trustee District 5 will be listed on the ballot is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on March 13, 2023 in the superintendent's office at the administration building.

 

Campaign Finance Reports

The schedule for reports due in connection with the May 6, 2023 election can be found on the Texas Ethics Commission website. Reports can be filed by hand delivery, mail, email or fax to Waco ISD Administration Building, 501 Franklin Ave, Waco, TX 76701; or elizabeth.cox@wacoisd.org; or 254-755-9690.

 

Election Results

As ballots are counted after the polls close, results will be posted on the McLennan County Elections Department website. Early voting totals and voter lists are also provided there.