The race for four Wylie ISD board of trustee seats heats up as four new candidates throw their hats in the ring.

Each seat in the upcoming Nov. 8 election is now contested.

Place 1, currently held by board president Stacie Smith, is being contested by Wylie resident Jill Palmer, whose application lists her as an IT sales manager and indicates she has lived in the district boundaries for five years.

Place 2 is currently held by Mitch Herzog, who is not seeking re-election. Former Wylie East High School principal Mike Williams filed to appear on the ballot. Along with Williams, Murphy resident Jeffrey Keech, who works as a software developer, filed his paperwork to fill the seat.

Place 5, currently held by Heather Leggett, who has also decided against seeking re-election, also has two challengers.

Long-time Wylie High School Principal Virdie Montgomery filed for Place 5. Wylie resident Kevin Brooks also filed to appear on the ballot for Place 5. According to his application, Brooks is a 12-year resident of Wylie and currently works as a nurse.

Jacob Day currently holds Place 6 which is being challenged by Michael Schwerin, who is a seven-year resident of Wylie.

Smith and Day were both first elected in 2018.

Board members are elected to four-year terms, with elections conducted every two years. The first day to file for a place on the ballot was July 25.

To be included on the ballot, school board candidates must file their paperwork at the Wylie ISD Educational Service Center, located at 951 South Ballard Ave.

Along with the Wylie ISD board, Wylie residents will vote in county, state and federal elections.

Trustees are elected at large therefore they represent the entire district and registered voters cast a ballot for all four places.

The last day to file for a place on the ballot for the Wylie ISD board of trustee election is Monday, Aug. 22.

Trustee candidates do not run by political party affiliation.

To be eligible to run for trustee, a potential candidate must be a U.S. citizen and be 18 years of age or older on the first day of the term to be filled at the election. Additionally, they cannot be 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.

Potential candidates must not have been convicted of a felony and must have resided in the state for 12 months and live within Wylie ISD boundaries for six months.

The last day to file for a place on the ballot for the Wylie ISD board of trustee election is Monday, Aug. 22.

Trustee candidates do not run by political party affiliation.

In addition to the school board election, Murphy residents will vote on 15 amendments to the city’s charter. The amendments were recommended by the Charter Review Committee and approved by city council.

The last day to register to vote in the November general election is Tuesday, Oct. 11, the first business day after Columbus Day.

Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 24 and ends Friday, Nov. 4.

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