Why Garland’s May 2 city election comes down to one District 5 race

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Garland TX – Garland canceled three unopposed council races, leaving District 5 as the only contested city election on May 2, with early voting starting April 20.


Garland’s May 2, 2026 city election is much narrower than a typical spring council cycle. Official city records show the District 1, District 2 and District 4 races were canceled after only one candidate filed in each contest, leaving District 5 as the only competitive City Council election on the ballot.

That means this is not a citywide council showdown. Garland voters choose the council seat for the district where they live. For most residents, there will be no contested council race this time. For voters who live in District 5, however, this is the one race that will decide who represents their part of the city on a council that votes on development, infrastructure, neighborhood spending priorities and city services.

What changed

The City of Garland’s elections page lists Jimmy Tran in District 1, Justin Caraway in District 2 and Christina Segoviano in District 4 as unopposed. Ordinance No. 7653 formally canceled those three elections and declared those candidates elected for their respective districts, while also stating that the District 5 election would continue.

That official action is the reason many Garland residents will not see a competitive council race on May 2. The city did not cancel the entire election. It canceled only the unopposed district contests.

Who is on the ballot in District 5

District 5 is the only contested Garland City Council race this spring, and three names are on that ballot: Forest Bryant, Margaret Lucht and Paul Dollar.

The city’s City Council page identifies Lucht as the current District 5 council member, making her the incumbent in the race. Dallas Morning News also published a District 5 candidate questionnaire for the three candidates, which gives voters another place to compare them before ballots are cast.

Who can vote and when

Garland’s election order says voters cast a ballot only for the district where they live. In practical terms, that means only qualified voters who live in District 5 will vote in this race.

Election Day is Saturday, May 2, 2026. Early voting runs from April 20 through April 28, with no voting on Tuesday, April 21, because of the San Jacinto Day holiday.

The city contracts with both Dallas County and Collin County for election services, so Garland voters should pay attention to which county handles their ballot and polling information. The election order says Dallas County and Collin County election administrators run the election for Garland voters in their respective counties.

The county details matter because some early voting availability differs. Under the city’s election order, early voting is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 20; no voting on April 21; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April 22 through April 24; and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on April 27 and April 28. On Saturday, April 25, Dallas County voting runs 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., while Collin County runs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Sunday, April 26, Dallas County has voting from noon to 6 p.m., but that Sunday voting is not available in Collin County under the city order.

Why one seat still matters

It would be easy to look at a one-race ballot and assume the stakes are low. They are not. One council seat still matters in Garland because council members vote on rezoning, capital projects, street and utility work, neighborhood investment, code issues and the budget choices that shape daily city services.

The next thing to watch is turnout in District 5 and whether any candidate wins a majority. Garland’s election order sets a runoff for Saturday, June 13, 2026, if no one clears that majority threshold on May 2.

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