Government
Elections
The next City election is Saturday, May 1, 2027, for Mayor and Council Places 1, 3 and 5. The City Secretary administers City elections and accepts candidate filings.
May 1, 2027 General Election
| Office | Current Officeholder | New Term |
|---|---|---|
| Mayor | Gunther Tilbortion | May 2027 – May 2029 |
| Council Place 1 | Cletus Krenek | May 2027 – May 2029 |
| Council Place 3 | Hector Ybarra | May 2027 – May 2029 |
| Council Place 5 | Dwayne Lovelady | May 2027 – May 2029 |
All positions are elected at large, and the candidate with the most votes wins. If every race is unopposed, Council may declare the candidates elected and cancel the election (Election Code §2.053). Any Charter amendments Council places on the ballot will be posted here once ordered.
Key Dates
| Date (2027) | Deadline or Event |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, January 13 | First day to file for a place on the ballot |
| Monday, January 18 | City Hall closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. No filings accepted |
| Tuesday, February 2 | Council orders the election |
| Friday, February 12, 5:00 p.m. | Last day to file for a place on the ballot |
| Tuesday, February 16, 5:00 p.m. | Last day to withdraw, and last day to file as a write-in candidate |
| Thursday, February 18, 10:00 a.m. | Drawing for ballot position, Council Chambers |
| Thursday, April 1 | Last day to register to vote. 30th-day campaign finance reports due |
| Monday, April 19 | Early voting begins |
| Tuesday, April 20 | Last day for the Early Voting Clerk to receive a ballot-by-mail application |
| Friday, April 23 | 8th-day campaign finance reports due |
| Tuesday, April 27 | Early voting ends |
| Saturday, May 1 | Election Day, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday, May 11 | Council canvasses the results at a special meeting |
Running for Office
To be a candidate, you must:
- Be a United States citizen and at least 18 years old.
- Be a registered voter of the City by the filing deadline.
- Have lived in Texas, and in the city limits, for at least 12 months before February 12, 2027.
- Not have been finally convicted of a felony, unless pardoned or otherwise released from the disability.
- Not have been found by a court to be mentally incapacitated.
File in person at the City Secretary’s office in City Hall, 150 E Brisket St, Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Your application must be sworn before a notary or include an unsworn declaration. The City charges no filing fee and requires no petition (Charter §4.03).
The candidate packet includes:
- Application for a Place on the City Officer General Election Ballot
- Appointment of a Campaign Treasurer by a Candidate (Texas Ethics Commission Form CTA). File it before you accept any contribution or spend any money.
- Campaign finance report forms and the filing schedule
- The Code of Fair Campaign Practices (signing it is optional)
- A copy of the Home Rule Charter and the city limits map
- Political sign rules
- The Water Tower Paint Ad Hoc Committee status report (one page)
Political signs may not be placed in City rights-of-way, on City property or on the Dongvile Water Tower. Electioneering is prohibited within 100 feet of a polling place entrance during voting hours.
Early Voting
All early voting takes place at the Dongvile Public Library Community Room, 140 W Queso St.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday, April 19 – Friday, April 23 | 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Saturday, April 24 – Sunday, April 25 | No early voting |
| Monday, April 26 – Tuesday, April 27 | 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
The Library is normally closed on Mondays. On April 19 and April 26, only the Community Room will be open.
Election Day
On Saturday, May 1, 2027, vote from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Dongvile Public Library Community Room, 140 W Queso St. The City has one polling place, and every City voter votes there. If you’re in line at 7:00 p.m., you may vote.
View the polling place on the mapVoter Registration and ID
The deadline to register for the May 1 election is Thursday, April 1, 2027. In Brisket County, the voter registrar is the Brisket County Elections Administrator, (936) 555-0160. Voter registration applications are also available at the City Secretary’s office.
When you vote in person, bring an acceptable photo ID, such as a Texas driver’s license, Texas personal ID card or U.S. passport. If you can’t reasonably get one, ask the election officials about the Reasonable Impediment Declaration.
Ballot by Mail
You may vote by mail if you are 65 or older on Election Day, have a disability, will be outside Brisket County during early voting and on Election Day, are expected to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day, or are confined in jail but otherwise eligible.
Send your application to the Early Voting Clerk, Margie Dubose, City Secretary, P.O. Box 1887, Dongvile, TX 76969. You may also fax it to (936) 555-0199 or email it to citysecretary@dongvile.us. If you fax or email it, mail the original so it arrives within four business days. Applications must be received by Tuesday, April 20, 2027.
Campaign Finance Reports
Candidates and officeholders file reports with the City Secretary under Election Code Chapter 254. Reports are open for public inspection and are posted below.
| Report | Due |
|---|---|
| Semiannual report | January 15, 2027 |
| 30th day before the election (opposed candidates) | April 1, 2027 |
| 8th day before the election (opposed candidates) | April 23, 2027 |
| Semiannual report | July 15, 2027 |
Past Results
May 2, 2026 General Election
Canvassed May 12, 2026. Registered voters: 6,174. Ballots cast: 903 (14.6 percent).
| Office | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place 2 | Peggy Sue Tatum | 571 | 65.4% |
| Place 2 | Bobby Ray Tubbs | 302 | 34.6% |
| Place 4 | Juanita Cardenas (unopposed) | 802 | 100.0% |
| Place 6 | Francine Goodnight | 648 | 75.4% |
| Place 6 | Dustin Lackey | 211 | 24.6% |
May 3, 2025 General Election
Canvassed May 13, 2025. Registered voters: 6,112. Ballots cast: 1,471 (24.1 percent).
| Office | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor | Gunther Tilbortion | 812 | 56.6% |
| Mayor | Royce Holloway | 618 | 43.1% |
| Mayor | Wendell Peterkin (write-in) | 4 | 0.3% |
| Place 1 | Cletus Krenek (unopposed) | 1,206 | 100.0% |
| Place 3 | Hector Ybarra | 761 | 53.7% |
| Place 3 | Darlene Pruitt | 655 | 46.3% |
| Place 5 | Dwayne Lovelady | 744 | 52.2% |
| Place 5 | Lyle Voelkel | 681 | 47.8% |
Write-in votes for people who did not file a declaration of write-in candidacy are not counted (Election Code §146.031). In 2025, the Early Voting Ballot Board set aside 17 such votes for Mayor, all cast for “the goat on FM 1337.”
Election documents
- 2027 Candidate Packet
- Canvass of the May 2, 2026 General Election
- Canvass of the May 3, 2025 General Election
- Campaign Finance Reports, 2026 General Election (all candidates)
Last updated October 1, 2026