Early voting for Bryson city, school begins Monday

Bryson will host two elections in May. Early voting for seats on the Bryson City Council and Bryson ISD Board of Trustees begins Monday.

Candidates for the Jacksboro City Council and JISD School Board ran unopposed and those elections were cancelled.

For Bryson ISD, there were three seats up for election, Places 3, 4 and 5 currently held by T-Bob Hauger, Blake Brooks and Lynn Casteel, respectively. Both Hauger and Brooks are seeking re-election and no candidates have filed to run for their seats.

Casteel is not seeking reelection and two candidates are vying for her position — Ronnie Collins and Brandi Bennett.

Bennett, who lives in Jermyn, has lived in the district for 29 years. She graduated valedictorian from Bryson High School and holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and is a registered nurse at Faith Community Hospital.

She is a member of the Bryson ISD PTO and is active in her children’s little league programs.

Bennett said she wants to serve on the Bryson School Board to help students excel in all aspects to become productive members of society.

The other candidate on the ballot, Ronnie Collins, has lived in the district for 39 years. He is also a graduate of Bryson High School.

He serves as a youth pastor at First Baptist Church in Bryson, the president of the Cottonwood Cemetery Association and as a volunteer firefighter.

Collins has served on the Bryson ISD school board previously and would like to bring that experience to the position.

“I feel like somebody that knows the town and knows the kids and teachers needs to be on the school board,” he said. “I’m a very godly man and I believe in asking God for direction and that’s what the kids need.”

There are three seats on the Bryson City Council up for election. They are currently held by Luticia Ford, Larry Nantz and Tommy Burris. Burris and Nantz are not seeking reelection.

There are four candidates up for the three at-large positions on the council. They are incumbent Ford along with Pete Butler, Paul Foster and Ray Jennings.

The Herald-Gazette was unable to speak with all of the candidates before press time.

Early voting for both elections will take place weekdays through Tuesday, May 2. Early voting for city council will take place at Bryson City Hall from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. both Mondays and 8 a.m. to noon the other days.  Early voting for the school board election will take place at the school’s administrative office from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Election day is Saturday, May 6 at the Bryson Senior Citizen Center.