2010: May Specials

Voters in South Dallas and Central Texas will have special elections on May 8 to pick new legislators. Gov. Rick Perry called those to replace Rep. Terri Hodge, D-Dallas, in HD-100, and Sen. Kip Averitt, R-Waco, in SD-22. Hodge resigned after pleading guilty to federal charges of lying on her tax returns. Averitt decided he didn't want to finish his current term. The winners of the elections to replace them will serve until January, when their terms end. 

Democrat Eric Johnson won the Democratic primary for Hodge's seat and will take office in January, whether he runs in May or not; nobody else was on the ballot. Averitt's race has drawn interest from former Sen. David Sibley, R-Waco, and from Darren Yancy, R-Burleson, who finished behind Averitt in this month's GOP primary. Averitt hasn't taken his name off the ballot for November, but is expected to do so (possibly after the May election results are in). Once he withdraws his name from the race for a full term, the GOP chairs in the district's ten counties would replace him with the candidate of their choice.

Candidates in either of the two specials have to file for office by the close of business on April 7.