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The CFB Council of PTAs and the American Association of University Women (AAUW) North Dallas co-hosted a candidate forum Monday night at the Nancy Watten Technology Center in Irving, giving community members a chance to hear directly from those seeking seats on the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD board of trustees.
All four candidates attended the event, which was moderated by David Griggs, an attorney and adjunct professor at Dallas College. Two at-large seats are up for election May 2. The terms of current trustees Carolyn Benavides and Randy Schackmann both expire on that date. Benavides is running for re-election to a third term; she said she was appointed to her first term. Schackmann is not seeking re-election.
Before the questions began, Aria Dean, advocacy chair for the CFBISD Council of PTAs, introduced the candidates and took time to walk attendees through cumulative voting, the method CFBISD uses in trustee elections. Sample ballots for both Dallas and Denton counties were displayed on an overhead screen. Under cumulative voting, voters can cast as many votes as there are board seats up for election, concentrating all votes on one candidate or splitting them among multiple candidates.
The forum was recorded, and the video is posted to the CFB Council PTA website and shared on Facebook and Instagram.
Early voting runs April 20–28, with Election Day on Saturday, May 2.
For more information, visit the CFB PTA website or find the council on Facebook.
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