Residents who intend to vote in the general election Saturday, May 6, need to be registered by Thursday, April 6.

Early voting begins Monday, April 24, and runs through Tuesday, May 2, in the Homer and Marie Adams rooms of the Murphy Community Center at 205 N. Murphy Road.

In Texas, eligible voters must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of the county where the application is submitted, at least 17 years 10 months old at the time of application and 18 years old on election day, not declared mentally incapacitated and not a convicted felon unless certain eligibility requirements are met.

More information can be found at votetexas.gov.

Voter registration applications can be found online at sos.state.tx.us and must be filled out and returned to the Collin County Voter Registrar’s Office.

Murphy Mayor Scott Bradley is running unopposed for re-election. Councilmember Andrew Chase is seeking re-election to Place 3 and is opposed by W. Scott Smith, a funeral director who has lived in Murphy for 12 years. Place 5 Councilmember Sarah Fincanon is also seeking re-election and is being challenged by stay-at-home-mom Laura Deel, who has lived more than eight years in Murphy.

Three positions on the Collin College Board of Trustees will be on the ballot.

Place 1 pits incumbent Fred Moses against challenger Megan Wallace. The race for Place 2 has incumbent Jay Saad running against two challengers: Scott Coleman and Philip Timmons. Place 3 also has three competitors: incumbent Stacey Donald and challengers Cathie Alexander and Joe Minissale.

For voters to learn more about the candidates, a forum is scheduled Monday, April 17. Candidates for the Murphy City Council, Plano ISD board and Collin College board of trustees have been invited to attend.

It will be held in the Murphy council chambers, 206 N. Murphy Road, but is not sponsored by the city.

The event is the fourth of its kind hosted by Maggie Whitt, who describes herself as a concerned citizen who wants voters to be informed. Whitt said the forum would be presented by a group of civic-minded volunteers and not any political party or association such as the League of Women Voters.

By Bob Wieland

Connor Pittman contributed to this story.

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