Overview:
Dallas City Councilwoman Carolyn King Arnold's reelection campaign may not come to fruition as the Dallas City Secretary Bilierae Johnson has yet to appeal her initial denial to appear on the May 2025 ballot. Arnold is looking for clarification on the wording of one charter amendment that could bar her from running for the District 4 seat a fifth time. The charter amendment's text calls to: "Eliminate the ability for members of the city council to run for city council again after serving the maximum four two-year terms and to eliminate the ability for the mayor to run for mayor again after serving the maximum two four-year terms."
By Ceara Johnson
Dallas Weekly Contributor
Dallas City Councilwoman Carolyn King Arnold’s reelection campaign may not come to fruition as the Dallas City Secretary Bilierae Johnson has yet to appeal her initial denial to appear on the May 2025 ballot. With the deadline for candidates to file for the ballot fast approaching (February 14), Arnold is looking for clarification on the wording of one charter amendment that could bar her from running for the District 4 seat a fifth time.
“I went ahead because, based on the prince principles of service and transparency, I did file,” Arnold said in a phone call with Dallas Weekly on Monday.
Term limits set by the recently passed Proposition E state that the mayor and city council members may not serve more than a total of eight consecutive or non-consecutive years as a municipal servant.
The charter amendment’s text calls to:
“Eliminate the ability for members of the city council to run for city council again after serving the maximum four two-year terms and to eliminate the ability for the mayor to run for mayor again after serving the maximum two four-year terms.”
Proposition E was voted into effect on November 5 of last year. This measure is championed by supporters of the Dallas HERO Act, and locals such as East Dallas native Michael Northrup, who told the Dallas Observer that term limits generate an overall sense of trust between citizens and their elected officials. Following the passage of Proposition E, Northrup authored a letter calling for the immediate resignation of commission or board members who have “out-served” their eight-year limit.
Proposition E is not the only recently approved measure that could affect Arnold’s spot on Dallas City Council. Proposition S, a part of the three-pronged HERO Act, removes governmental immunity from city officials. This means citizens can sue the City of Dallas for noncompliance with local ordinances and charter amendments, such as Proposition E.
Two out of three of the proposed charter amendments in the HERO act were passed by Dallas voters in November. Proposition S was one of the two.
“I’m proud to be a part of the city, to work in tandem with the rest of the city, members of the city council members, in terms of allocating for all of our communities, but I know exactly where my assignment comes from,” Arnold said.
Arnold said she was unfamiliar with Michael Northrup and proponents of the Dallas HERO Act.
Arnold isn’t the only elected official put in a bind by Proposition E. Northrup names District 5 City Planning Commission member Tony Shidid in a letter emphasizing the importance of term limits. Shadid, whose municipal career stretches from 2013-2021, is now under new scrutiny for exceeding eight years of service. Tennell Atkins from District 8 is also staying away from the May 2025 ballot, as he has served more years than Proposition E now allows city council members to sit in their position.
According to Dallas Morning News, city secretary Johnson has already confirmed Arnold will be unable to put her name on the next city council ballot, but this has not deterred Arnold from continuing with her efforts to keep her District 4 seat.
On Jan 28, Arnold told NBC 5 that this denial did not signify the end of her campaign. This comment comes months after Arnold’s team had confirmed their understanding of the term limits set by the recent charter amendment.
“This is about the principles of service and transparency, and you’re never going to go wrong when you follow the basic due process, rights and steps and all that,” Arnold said. “It just comes with what we do.”
Arnold’s assistant Phil Foster told D Magazine in October 2024 that not only was Arnold cognizant of the limitations set by Proposition E, but that she would once more seek reelection if the measure did not pass.
The Dallas Weekly reached out to Councilwoman Arnold’s office for comment, and was able to inquire about her ongoing fight to remain on the ballot as a District 4 candidate. Arnold, proud to serve the citizens of District 4, emphasized the high need for advocacy for the wellbeing and quality of life for her constituents.
“I understand perfectly well what we need, and I know where those post points are, and so that’s who I respond to. That’s who hired me. That’s who I serve,” said Arnold.
The two eligible candidates on the ballot for District 4 City Council Representative as of Feb 7 2025 are Dallas ISD trustee Maxie Johnson and Avis Hardaman. One candidate, Landers M Isom III, was deemed ineligible for the ballot after filing on January 24, the day after King first filed.
As of February 7, 2025, Isom re-filed and was approved for the ballot, but was denied again on February 11.
Maxie Johnson faced Arnold in the race for the District 4 seat previously in 2021, where Arnold won by 9.5 percent of points in the polls in the general election. Avis Hardaman, the most recent candidate approved for the ballot as of February 3, now also stands as an option for East Oak Cliff voters in May.
The Carolyn King Arnold Campaign’s last recorded donation was in October of 2024, indicative of the momentum, or lack thereof, surrounding Councilwoman Arnold’s latest attempt at running for Dallas City Council. The donation of $1,250 came from the Coats Rose PAC, a generous donor to campaigns of individuals such as Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Arnold’s petition for reinstatement on the May ballot comes amid an ongoing contemporary discussion about term limits for municipal elected officials in Dallas. She hasn’t had many competitors that have succeeded in claiming her throne as a political and community figurehead in South Oak Cliff.
The only election Arnold has ever lost for District 4 was to former Mayor Pro Tem and Councilman Dwaine Caraway. After a year into his term, Caraway resigned on corruption charges, leaving the seat open in a special election, which Arnold won.
Caraway faced prison time after pleading guilty to accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in 2019, two years after clinching the election.
Despite the nine years Arnold has served on Dallas City Council, her drive to remain a representative for the people of South Oak Cliff remains fervent. The only position she may be eligible to run for in the future is the office of mayor in 2027.
When asked if she would consider running for mayor, Arnold said she would consider the option if her constituents supported her.
The deadline for candidates to file for the May 3, 2025 Dallas City Council election is on Valentine’s Day. Presently, Districts 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11 have at least two approved candidates for voters to choose from in the 2025 city council election.