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VOTERS GUIDE
May 9, 2015 Election
City of Richardson (COR) Mayor and City Council
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF RICHARDSON
300 North Coit Road, Suite 125 • Richardson TX 75080
972-470-0584 • Website, including an online VOTERS GUIDE with more questions: www.lwvrichardson.org
Follow the League of Women Voters of Richardson on Twitter @LWVRichardson
This VOTERS GUIDE is a community service to voters of the City of Richardson. Candidate responses published in this guide were
obtained by means of a questionnaire sent to each candidate. Responses are printed exactly as received and must meet word
limits. Excess words in a candidate’s response have been replaced with an ellipsis (…).
This guide is published by the League of Women Voters of Richardson and funded by the League of Women Voters Texas
Education Fund, Richardson account, through donations from area residents and businesses. The League of Women Voters, a
nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government and works to increase understanding
of major public policy issues.
In this VOTERS GUIDE:
Election Information .....................................................................................................................Pages 1-3
Places 1-7 Richardson City Council and Mayoral candidates’ responses to questions ...............Pages 4-8
ELECTION INFORMATION
Important Election Dates:
Last day to register to vote ..................................................... April 9
Early voting in-person .............................................. April 27 – May 5
Last day to receive application for Ballot by Mail ...................April 30
Election Day............................................................................. May 9
May 9, 2015 Joint Election
Early voting times in Collin County
for Collin County Community College District Board of Trustees
and Plano ISD Board of Trustees
In-person early voting period
April 27 – April 29 (Mon. – Wed.) 8am - 5pm
April 30
(Thurs.) 8am – 7pm
May 1-2
(Fri. - Sat.) 8am – 5pm
May 3
(Sun.) Not open
May 4 – May 5
(Mon. - Tues.) 7am - 7pm
May 9, 2015 Joint Election
Early voting times in Dallas County
for Richardson Mayor and City Council
In-person early voting period
April 27 – May 2
May 3
May 4 – May 5
(Mon. - Sat.) 8am - 5pm
(Sun.) 1pm - 6pm
(Mon. - Tues.) 7am - 7pm
Joint Election – Election Day
May 9, 2015
Election Day
May 9
(Sat.) 7am – 7pm
© 2015 League of Women Voters of Richardson. No part of this VOTERS GUIDE, including formatting,
may be used or reprinted (except for personal use by individual voters) without express permission.
May 2015 VOTERS GUIDE
LWV-Richardson
Election Information
for the May 9, 2015 Joint Election
If you live in Richardson, COLLIN COUNTY
What’s on my ballot?
Richardson residents in Collin County are eligible to vote for:
1. Richardson City Council Places 1-6 and for Mayor (Place 7). All Richardson residents are eligible
to vote in all 7 places.
2. Collin County Community College District Board of Trustees Place 7, Place 8, and Place 9.
3. Plano Independent School District Board of Trustees Place 4, Place 5, and Place 7
Where do I vote?
EARLY VOTING ....................................................................................April 27, 2015 – May 5, 2015
THERE ARE TWO STEPS TO VOTE EARLY IN ALL RACES:
Step 1: Vote at any Dallas County Early Voting Location for the City of Richardson races.
AND
Step 2: Vote at any Collin County Early Voting Location for the Collin County Community College District
Board of Trustees and Plano ISD Board of Trustee Elections.
The only Dallas County and Collin County SHARED EARLY VOTING location where you will be able to vote
for races in both counties at the same time is: Renner Frankford Library at 6400 Frankford Road in
Dallas 75252.
Hours for Early Voting and additional Early Voting locations may be found at the websites below:
COLLIN COUNTY EARLY VOTING INFORMATION: www.co.collin.tx.us/elections
DALLAS COUNTY EARLY VOTING INFORMATION: www.dallascountyvotes.org
ELECTION DAY VOTING .................................................................................May 9, 2015, 7am-7pm
THERE ARE TWO STEPS TO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY IN ALL RACES:
Step 1: Vote at your designated precinct polling location for the City of Richardson Races.
number is on your voter registration card or visit www.co.collin.tx.us/elections.
City of Richardson Polling Locations
PCT
Location
Address
City
0048, 055
Aldridge Elem School
720 Pleasant Valley Ln Richardson
0078, 0110 Richardson Police Substation
2003 Renner Rd
Richardson
0094, 0125
Miller Elem School
5651 Coventry Dr
Richardson
Your precinct
Zip
75080
75082
75082
AND
Step 2: Vote at any Collin County Vote Center for the Collin County Community College District Board of
Trustees and Plano ISD Board of Trustee Elections.
Closest Collin County Vote Centers to City of Richardson Residents
Location
Address
City
Zip
Aldridge Elem School
720 Pleasant Valley Ln
Richardson
75080
Miller Elem School
5651 Coventry Dr
Richardson
75082
NOTE: Residents of precincts 78 and 110 (neighborhoods around Fairways of Sherrill Park, Sherrill Park, Crowley
Park, and Clear Springs Place) will need to go to two different locations to vote on Election Day. The
Richardson Police Substation on Renner Road will not have ballots for the Collin County Community College
District Board of Trustees nor the Plano ISD Board of Trustee elections.
For a complete list of Collin County Vote Centers or more Collin County Election information,
visit the Collin County Elections website: www.co.collin.tx.us/elections
Information supplied by
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Dallas County Elections Department
May 2015 VOTERS GUIDE
LWV-Richardson
Election Information
For the May 9, 2015, Joint Election
If you live in Richardson, DALLAS COUNTY
What’s on my ballot?
Richardson residents in Dallas County will vote for Richardson City Council Places 1-6 and for Mayor (Place
7). All registered voters in the City of Richardson are eligible to vote for candidates in all 7 places.
Note: The Richardson Independent School District’s Board of Trustees Election has been
cancelled due to unopposed candidates.
Where do I vote?
EARLY VOTING ..................................................................................... April 27, 2015 – May 5, 2015
During early voting, registered voters in the City of Richardson may vote at any early voting location within
Dallas County. The only early voting location within the City of Richardson is:
Richardson Civic Center , 411 W. Arapaho Road, Richardson, TX 75080
Hours for Early Voting and additional Early Voting locations can be located by visiting the Dallas
County Elections Department Website at www.DallasCountyVotes.org
ELECTION DAY VOTING .................................................................................May 9, 2015, 7am-7pm
On Election Day, registered voters in the City of Richardson must vote in their designated precinct polling
place. You may find your precinct number on your Voter Registration Card or visit
www.dallascounty.org/voters-information/precinct-lookup.
Election Day Polling Places for the City of Richardson
PRECINCT
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY
ZIP
1500
Dover Elem School
700 Dover Dr
Richardson
75080
1501
Professional Development Ctr-RISD
701 W Belt Line Road
Richardson
75080
1502
Math Science Tech. Magnet-Risd
450 Abrams Road
Richardson
75081
1503, 1504
Richland Elem School
550 Park Bend Dr
Richardson
75081
2500
Greenwood Hills Elem School
1313 West Shore Dr
Richardson
75080
2501
Canyon Creek Elem School
2100 Copper Ridge Dr
Richardson
75080
2502
Prairie Creek Elem School
2120 E Prairie Creek Dr
Richardson
75080
2503
Mohawk Elem School
1500 Mimosa Dr
Richardson
75080
2504
Richardson North Jr. High School
1820 N Floyd Road
Richardson
75080
2505
Northrich Elem School
1301 Custer Rd
Richardson
75080
2506
Arapaho Classical Magnet School
1300 Cypress Dr
Richardson
75080
2507
Richardson Heights Elem School
101 N Floyd Rd
Richardson
75080
2508
Richardson Terrance Elem School
300 N Dorothy Dr
Richardson
75081
2509
Richardson East Church of Christ
1504 E Campbell Road
Richardson
75081
2510
Yale Elem School
1900 E Collins Blvd
Richardson
75081
2511, 2512
Dartmouth Elem School
417 Dartmouth Ln
Richardson
75081
2513
Springridge Elem School
1801 E Spring Valley
Richardson
75081
2514
Jess Harben Elem School
600 S Glenville Dr
Richardson
75081
2701
Big Springs Elem School
3301 W Campbell Rd
Garland
75044
2702
Spring Creek Elem School
1510 Spring Creek Dr
Garland
75040
For more Dallas County election information, visit the Dallas County Elections website
Information supplied by
www.dallascountyvotes.org
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Dallas County Elections Department
May 2015 VOTERS GUIDE
LWV-Richardson
RICHARDSON CITY COUNCIL
For candidate responses to more questions, go to www.lwvrichardson.org
Place 1, Ballot Position 1 (2 candidates on the ballot)
Place 1, Ballot Position 2 (2 candidates on the ballot)
What strengths do you have that will make you a good member of city council? (75 word limit)
Formal education with bachelors and
masters degrees. 37 years of technical
and management experience at Texas
Instruments. Fourteen years serving on
the Richardson City Council. Long-time
active involvement in homeowners/
neighborhood associations. 57 years
residence in the city I love.
Bob Townsend
Beside my community involvement, I listen
to our residents and business partners
and learn what they need from the City.
Rick Wilder
Housing density in the city is increasing. How should city services be modified to keep pace with demand?
Do you support modifications to the budget to support increased city services, if necessary? (125 word limit)
Richardson’s basic city services will not have to be modified Most of the increase in housing density is the result of new
because of higher density. I would not support any apartments. Water, Police, Fire, Recreation, and other
modification. High density planned development, when services provided by the city will have to be planned and
compared to single family developments, will result in provided for in this and future budgets and we need to
significant savings to government by reducing both the develop the economic basis for this without placing the
capital and operating costs of police, fire and solid waste burden on our resident's.
collection and disposal services and storm sewers. Fixed
costs spread over a larger number of people would lower
the per capita costs of public services.
I would support certain budget modifications to the budget
to support a higher housing density but any increases
would be more than offset by increased revenues from
property and sales taxes.
Should minority representation on city boards / commissions / city council be increased? If so, how would
you work to achieve this goal? If not, why not? (100 word limit)
Yes, of course, there should be more minority I do not support changing the current system of choosing
representation on the city’s boards and commissions and who serves on city boards / commissions as individuals
the city council.
are chosen based on what the positions need and the
applicants that apply. Instead, we should encourage
I will continue to work in the minority communities to minority participation in the community to broaden the base
strongly encourage participation. I have many minority we have to choose from. The city council representation
contacts that will work with me in this endeavor.
would also benefit from minority participation.
It is also time for another public ‘job fair’ to generate interest
in the boards and commissions. Special attention will be
given to encouraging the minority community to attend.
What would be your two (2) top priorities as a Richardson City Council member? How would you implement
these priorities? (100 word limit)
My number one priority is updating the infrastructure of Development and redevelopment is vital to the life of the
Richardson. This will require the continued dedication of a city. We need to develop a plan that is open and
certain number of cents of the property taxes to transparent to our residents to fund the development
infrastructure. This is currently two cents and it must be needs. Other city's that do not participate in Dart are able to
maintained at that level or increased. Additionally, I would use that funding as a source for development.
advocate for a bond vote in November, 2015, for major
improvements to the infrastructure.
My number two priority is improved
between the City, the Council and the
improvement has been made in this
communications is still needed. I would
establishment of town hall meetings.
communications
citizens. Great
area but better
advocate the re-
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May 2015 VOTERS GUIDE
LWV-Richardson
RICHARDSON CITY COUNCIL
For candidate responses to more questions, go to www.lwvrichardson.org
Place 2, Ballot Position 1 (1 candidate on the ballot)
Place 3, Ballot Position 1 (1 candidate on the ballot)
What strengths do you have that will make you a good member of city council? (75 word limit)
I currently serve as Councilman for Place 2
and believe my experience, knowledge and
education qualify me to serve on our City
Council.
Mark Solomon
Scott Dunn
I have called Richardson home for the
last 27 years. We have raised our three
children in Richardson. I have served on
Richardson Council for the last four
years. I will continue to work hard to
understand the issues brought before
City Council and the citizens’ concerns.
I will continue to been responsive and
accessible by email, text, phone, and
meetings around the clock. My
commitment to the City of Richardson is
top priority.
Housing density in the city is increasing. How should city services be modified to keep pace with demand? Do
you support modifications to the budget to support increased city services, if necessary? (125 word limit)
The Council reviews the budget each year to insure that
our basic City services are maintained at the highest level.
Increased population will in some cases affect those
budget decisions as it this year with our decision to add an
additional ambulance to station # 3 and to increase the
number of neighborhood police officers. These
enhancements to the City services are paid for with the
increase in revenue generated by the increase in
population.
We review the City’s budget annually and make the
necessary modifications when the requirements are
needed. Public safety will always be a top priority and
when budget changes are needed, I will listen and review
the information provided by the subject matter experts to
make my decisions.
Should minority representation on city boards / commissions / city council be increased? If so, how would you
work to achieve this goal? If not, why not? (100 word limit)
All our Boards and commissions should be representative
of our community and I have and will continue to work with
all our residents to achieve this goal. Each and every time
I meet with anyone seeking to become involved I
encourage them to make an application for appointment.
Yes, Richardson is a diverse city. It is pertinent to reach out
to our diverse population for input and invite them to
participate in the process. We have several minorities
already serving on boards and commissions. The charter
commission is a good example how our commissions are a
representation of our diverse community. I will continue
working with the Council to make sure our boards and
commissions have qualified minority representation on
them.
What would be your two (2) top priorities as a Richardson City Council member? How would you implement these
priorities? (100 word limit)
Since the first time I sought this office I have stressed the
need to re-invest in the basic infrastructure of the City.
Each year that I have served we have seen the budget
amount for infrastructure upgrades increase. I am
committed to continue to push for additional funds to be
applied to this mission.
Secondly we need to continue our ongoing efforts in citizen
communication. Our goal is have our citizens as informed
as possible on the activities and programs of the city. We
have come a long way and will continue to work to make it
even better.
Continue to attract big and small businesses: We have
several areas that have been part of a rezoning initiative.
We need innovative ideas to market and help businesses
see the potential in these areas. If the budget allows and it
makes financial sense, I would be in favor to make capital
investments to jumpstart some redevelopment in these
areas.
Our aging infrastructure needs repairs: We have more
than doubled the budgeted dollars for street maintenance,
but we still need more.
I will support a proposed
November 2015 bond if it has money to improve our
infrastructure.
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May 2015 VOTERS GUIDE
LWV-Richardson
RICHARDSON CITY COUNCIL
For candidate responses to more questions, go to www.lwvrichardson.org
Place 4, Ballot Position 1 (2 candidates on the ballot)
Place 4, Ballot Position 2 (2 candidates on the ballot)
What strengths do you have that will make you a good member of city council? (75 word limit)
My decades as a resident, homeowner,
The lessons and leadership experiences I
parent, business owner and community
would bring to the City Council are
servant will bring a singular base of
unique. They include wisdom that has
expertise that will be immediately useful to
come from military service and tours of
our Council. My expertise in law, business
duty in Iraq and Korea. I also have the
and real estate, and my relationships with
insight of someone who has been active
the business and community leaders that
in our community, including Leadership
have built Richardson, will transfer instantly
Richardson, Altrusa International, and
to Council issues, without a vertical learning
Richardson Citizen Police and Fire
curve.
My
historic
and
continued
Academy. I have good reasons for running
Claudia
E.
Tatum
Mabel Simpson
involvement with the City, eliminates any
and a specific plan to improve the quality
necessity for “on the job training.”
of life in Richardson.
Housing density in the city is increasing. How should city services be modified to keep pace with demand? Do
you support modifications to the budget to support increased city services, if necessary? (125 word limit)
Some city services are “need to have” while some are “nice to Our city’s infrastructure and neighborhoods are aging. I would
have.” We shouldn’t spend more than we can afford on maintain a balance between new development and initiatives
amenities -- and yet to continue to remain attractive to to redevelop our city.
residential and corporate taxpayers, we have to maintain
roads, parks, water, sanitation and public safety, among other The new technological era has allowed our city to provide
needs. Council must work closely with staff and departments to better services through the online and smart phone systems.
monitor existing infrastructure, systems and costs, then weigh For example, we have the Richardson Application which allows
the costs of maintenance and improvements with revenue citizens and stakeholders to access information from the palms
trends to ensure that we can balance our spending while of their hands. I believe in a more efficient way of conducting
meeting expectations of city residents.
business: less paper and moving to a more digital era without
forgetting our baby boomers.
Because of the new technological developments, our younger
generations expect faster and more reliable services at a low
cost. Our citizens and stakeholders should be treated with the
utmost respect while providing the fastest and most reliable
services.
Should minority representation on city boards / commissions / city council be increased? If so, how would you
work to achieve this goal? If not, why not? (100 word limit)
I think any person who seeks to participate on a board or According to the 2009 Richardson plan development, our year
commission should be considered. The City has a large pool of 2000 ethnicity population was “comprised primarily of people
talented people to choose from, should that individual come who consider themselves Caucasian, with other ethnic groups
forward with the time and energy to devote to the cause.
representing slightly more than 24% of the population…which
indicates that the city is becoming more diverse in the ethnic
Richardson is a very diverse community, and we should makeup of its population. The population of other ethnic
always be willing to tap into the broad life experiences of our groups in Richardson consists of 6.2% African-American,
residents
11.7% Asian, 10.3% Hispanic, and 4.1% other.” As such, we
need to ensure that we have the needed representation in
government and city staff in order to provide the best services
tailored both to the different generations and population
diversity.
What would be your two (2) top priorities as a Richardson City Council member? How would you implement these
priorities? (100 word limit)
Development of newer areas of Richardson, as well as re- As a member of the council, I will lead the effort to beautify our
development of older areas of Richardson needs to be streets, neighborhoods, and sidewalks. I believe we need to
comprehensively reviewed, so that both can succeed and make additional investments in our infrastructure to keep our
benefit each other. I also believe there is an as-yet-untapped economy moving forward. I would like to see our city
resource within the entrepreneur and innovation community at government become more transparent, become more
UT-Dallas. We need to act on creating opportunities for inclusive, improve outreach to neighborhoods and community
developers to come in and achieve our goals along with theirs, associations. The anti-crime initiatives in our neighborhoods
and connecting new employers with the pool of talented must be maintained and strengthened as resources allow to
graduates that live in our community. I plan to bring my legal keep our neighborhoods and streets safe and to protect
and real estate experience along with deep community property values.
knowledge to immediately serve Council planning efforts.
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May 2015 VOTERS GUIDE
LWV-Richardson
RICHARDSON CITY COUNCIL
For candidate responses to more questions, go to www.lwvrichardson.org
Place 5, Ballot Position 1 (1 candidate on the ballot)
Place 6, Ballot Position 1 (1 candidate on the ballot)
What strengths do you have that will make you a good member of city council? (75 word limit)
I believe I bring a balance between my
business experience and my community
involvement.
I pride myself as being
approachable by all that seek to give input
into the process of running this city. I like
being part of a team that can develop and
oversee the implementation of strategic
goals.
My style is one of obtaining
consensus and working together to
Paul Voelker
promote and manage the successful
execution of the council goals.
My years of community service and
productivity as a current councilman. As
a 32 year Richardson resident, I have
served on the City Plan Commission and
Sign Control Boards, and have been a
member of Community Revitalization
Award
Committee,
Leadership
Richardson, Citizens Police Academy,
Citizens Fire Academy, Greenwood Hills
Steve Mitchell
Neighborhood
Association,
and
Richardson Rotary Club. As a five term
councilman, I have consistently championed solutions to
neighborhood, revitalization, and redevelopment issues
which face our city.
Housing density in the city is increasing. How should city services be modified to keep pace with demand? Do
you support modifications to the budget to support increased city services, if necessary? (125 word limit)
The city budgeting process has always reviewed, adapted
and modified when necessary city services as it pertains to
keeping pace with the demands put on these services
based on many factors including density. I look forward to
participating in this year’s budget meetings and reviewing
our city services capabilities.
We will become a more dense city. While traditional single
family homes will always be the “bedrock” of our
community, we will see more zero lot line homes, patio
homes, townhomes, and duplexes being built due to
escalated land values and redevelopment costs. We will
see more vertical development along our major
transportation arteries, yet done in a way which does not
impact adjacent neighborhoods. Around our rail stations
(and not in our neighborhoods), we will have apartments
and condominiums which will cater to both a young
workforce and “empty nester”/seniors. The demand for city
services will increase, which would be reflected in our city
budget, but, with an enhanced tax base, the goal would be
for the impact to be revenue neutral.
Should minority representation on city boards / commissions / city council be increased? If so, how would you
work to achieve this goal? If not, why not? (100 word limit)
Richardson is a uniquely diverse community. It is a
strength in both our residential and workforce
environments. I believe educating the community as a
whole and increasing awareness of opportunities for people
to serve is the best approach to achieving diversity on our
council, boards and commissions.
Our city is rich in diversity, and this richness should be
reflected in all service opportunities throughout the city.
This is something that I embrace. Individuals who seek to
serve in our community have a number of avenues. If their
chosen path is a city board, commission, or council, then
those opportunities currently exist though the application or
election process. To expand our existing broad pool of
boards and commission applicants, we should facilitate an
‘open house’ which would explain each board or
commission mission, and encourage those who might not
normally apply to do so.
What would be your two (2) top priorities as a Richardson City Council member? How would you implement these
priorities? (100 word limit)
We are an aging city experiencing moderate growth with
changing living and work environments. My two top
priorities on council and in preparation for the next bond
election are maintaining and growing our infrastructure and
public safety. I will continue to support setting aside money
in our budgeting process for maintenance and evaluate the
needs of our public safety resources in both total number,
capability and response times.
The revitalization of West Spring Valley and the on-going
infrastructure improvement throughout the city. Utilizing
the existing planned development, this revitalization would
be implemented either by providing greater incentives to
the private sector to repurpose land currently used for
multi-family, or by the city, partnering with the private
sector, to do so.
Improving our aging infrastructure
requires a budget which continues to set aside dollars for
street maintenance, which we have done, along with
periodic voter-approved bond packages.
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May 2015 VOTERS GUIDE
LWV-Richardson
RICHARDSON CITY COUNCIL PLACE 7 MAYOR
For candidate responses to more questions,
go to www.lwvrichardson.org
Place 7, Ballot Position 1
(1 candidate on the ballot)
What strengths do you have that will make you a good
member of city council? (75 word limit)
No photo
submitted
[No response.]
All registered voters in the City of Richardson are
eligible to vote for candidates in all 7 places. After
the election, the newly-elected council members
choose the Mayor Pro Tem from among its
members.
All Council members are elected in May of every
odd year for a 2-year term. Beginning in May,
2009, term limits for membership on the City
Council are limited to 6 consecutive terms.
City Council meetings are held the second and
fourth Monday of each month at 7pm in the Council
Chambers. Work sessions are held every Monday
at 6pm.
Laura Gibbs Maczka
Housing density in the city is increasing. How should
city services be modified to keep pace with demand?
Do you support modifications to the budget to
support increased city services, if necessary?
Members of the City Council are elected on a
nonpartisan basis. Richardson’s City Council is
responsible for
(125 word limit)
 hiring the City Manager, who is responsible
for
[No response.]
 the City’s daily operations,
Should minority representation on city boards /
 hiring department heads,
commissions / city council be increased? If so, how
 supervising the City personnel,
would you work to achieve this goal? If not, why not?
 directing and coordinating all municipal
(100 word limit)
programs,
[No response.]
 enforcing all municipal laws and
ordinances, and
What would be your two (2) top priorities as a
 recommending an annual budget,
Richardson City Council member? How would you
implement these priorities? (100 word limit)
 appointing the City Attorney, City Secretary,
Municipal Court Judges, City Health Officer,
[No response.]
 appointing citizens to the City’s boards and
commissions,

passing City ordinances,
From the City of Richardson’s website

planning for capital improvements,
www.cor.net.
 issuing and selling municipal bonds,
Richardson City Council is made up of
 purchasing and selling property,
 Places 1-4 (one member elected from each
 establishing City departments,
of the City’s four geographical areas),
 determining City services,
 Places 5-6 (two members elected with no
 approving the annual budget, and
geographical restrictions), and
 setting the City’s tax rate.
 Place 7, Mayor (with no geographical
restrictions).
Compensation is $50 per meeting.
For more election information, visit the following web sites:
League of Women Voters of Richardson ........................... www.lwvrichardson.org
League of Women Voters of Collin County................................. www.lwvcollin.org
Collin County Elections ............................................. www.co.collin.tx.us/elections
Dallas County Elections .............................................. www.dallascountyvotes.org
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