Candidates throw their hats into the ring for November

By Leesa Teale

LPR Publisher                                                   

    Monday marked the last day for candidates to get their name on the ballot for the November 4, 2025 election. 

      Lockhart City Council has several positions that will be up to the voters to decide. 

    Those positions are Councilmember District 1, City Councilmember District 2  and Two City Councilmembers At-Large 

     The first day to file for a place on the general election ballot was on  Saturday, July 19, 2025.

     Those candidates who have filed the paperwork to be on the ballot are as follows:

•Councilmember District 1-Pat Stroka and incumbent Juan Mendoza. 

•Councilmember District 2-John Castillo, incumbent. 

•Councilmember At-Large-Brad Westmoreland, incumbent, Taylor Burge, Angela Gonzales-Sanchez and Amy Clunie. 

    City of Lockhart Charter requires in Sec. 3.02 City council, qualifications and disqualifications.

(a)Each member of the city council must:

(1)  be a United States citizen;

 (2)  be a qualified voter of the State of Texas;

 (3)  be 21 years of age or older on the first day of the term to be filled at the election or on the date              of appointment;

(4)  be a resident of the city for at least 12 months as of the deadline for filing for the office, and use a city residence address for voter registration and driver’s license purposes; (5)  be a resident of his or her city district for at least six months on the first day of the term to be filled at the election or on the date of appointment, for a councilmember representing a single-member district;

(6)  have not been convicted of a felony for which he or she has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities; and

 (7)  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.

(b)  If a mayor or councilmember fails to maintain the qualifications provided by this charter and state law, or is absent from three (3) consecutive regularly scheduled city council meetings without valid excuse, then the mayor’s or councilmember’s position shall be declared vacated by the city council at its next regularly scheduled meeting. The vacancy shall be filled as provided in Section 3.06 of this Charter.