Info for Volunteers, Candidates
and the Executive Committee
NEW Candidate Resources
A list of recommended resources for candidate training and guidance to help you run the strongest possible campaign for local office.
Use Ballot Ready to find out what offices are up for election for your address.
How to File for Office in Texas
Local office elections are on May 3, 2025.
NOTE: City and school elections are in May of each year, except for Sherman, with its city elections in November. Be sure to check the links for the latest information.
Denison- May 3, 2025
Denison will elect City Council Members to serve three year terms.
Denison City Council – up for election are Council Members to Single Member District 4, Place 4, and At Large, Place 6, each to serve a three-year term. The City Clerk’s office will receive completed and notarized applications at City Hall, 300 W Main Street, Denison, TX 75020. Details here.
Candidate filing period: Jan 15 – Feb 14
Sherman City Council– Nov 4, 2025
(filing for candidacy 7/19/2025 – 8/18/2025).
Municipal elections for the City of Sherman are held on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November of each year.
Election Info here. Specific offices here.
Links for each city in Grayson County
Local School Board Elections
Candidate filing period: Jan 15 – Feb 14
Bells ISD, Collinsville ISD, Gunter ISD, Howe ISD, Pottsboro ISD, Tom Bean ISD, Tioga ISD, Van Alstyne ISD, Whitesboro ISD, Whitewright ISD, S&S Consolidated ISD
Sherman
https://www.shermanisd.net/Page/7445
The Board of Trustee election for Sherman ISD. The first day to file an application for a place on the ballot in a school district’s general election is Jan 15, 2025. Applications are available at the Sherman ISD Service Center, 2701 Loy Lake Road. The filing deadline is February 14, 2025.
Denison
https://www.denisonisd.net/school-board-elections. Persons interested in running for election to the Denison ISD School Board should contact the Denison ISD Business office at 903-462-7042 for information.
Links to all Grayson County school districts
https://www.k12academics.com/national-directories/school-district/Texas/Grayson
The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) offers a free online training course designed by experienced school board members especially for people considering running for a school board position. This course explains what to expect when serving as a school board member.
ELECTIONS 2025 – Google docs with links, contributed by Joshua Perkins.
2025 Election Dates set by the Texas Secretary of State
Run for office!
https://www.texasdemocrats.org/run-for-office
Training
Democratic Natl Party events and trainings: TrainDemocrats.org.
Click here for Training Opportunities
for candidates, staff, and local volunteers
The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) offers a free online course designed by experienced school board members especially for people considering running for a school board position.
Volunteer Deputy Registrar Training
Call the Grayson County Elections office for a brief training so that you can register people to vote: 903-893-8663. If you’re already certified, stop by the Elections Office at 115 Houston St., Sherman, to pick up your updated badge and certificate- no additional training necessary.
To become a Poll Worker, contact the Election Office, 903-893-8663 for information.
Project Lift
The Texas Democratic Party provides recognition and additional support for municipal, school board, and community college trustee candidates who identify as Democrats. While municipal offices are non-partisan, we are invested in getting folks elected to these positions who will govern in a way that promotes Democratic Party values today and will be our rising stars of tomorrow.
https://tinyurl.com/Project-LIFT-Google-doc
Action Items
Election Debrief
Join Texas Blue Action to talk about the Blue Action strategy, what went right, what went wrong, outcomes, and what to do next. Wed, Jan 22 at 6:00. Register here.
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H.R. 9495 is now in the Senate as S4136
(Introduced by Sen. John Cornyn of Texas)
UPDATE: It appears your calls have killed this bill!
Thank you, and congratulations!
This is a bill that would give the President unprecedented power to target and shut down nonprofits and activist groups. Please sign this statement to our senators today. If this bill took effect, the Treasury Secretary would be able to strip tax-exempt status from any nonprofit they want to, without having to disclose any reasoning or evidence used to make their decision. So in the likely event that Trump installs a partisan loyalist in the Treasury Department, he could use this bill to retaliate against, and effectively shut down, any nonprofit that he doesn’t like – with virtually no oversight! Please sign this statement to our senators.
Read more about the bill. ACLU statement.
Also call Sen. John Cornyn, 202-224-2934 and Sen. Ted Cruz, 202-224-5922 and tell them to vote against endangering non-profit organizations.
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Join your local progressive organizations
We need to fight back every day and in every way!
DNC The Democratic National Committee will organize against destructive legislation and executive orders. And fight to win local and statewide races, take back Congress in the next election, and the White House in 2028.
DCCC Send a donation to support House Democrats, so we can flip the House and CRUSH the MAGA Majority.
NAACP Grayson Co. Chapter
ACLU of Texas
GCDP
Democratic Women of GC
CommonCause
MoveOn.org
Indivisible
Join this local group: Indivisible Sherman TX — revitalize and re-energize!
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Truth Brigade
Join us the second Wednesday of each month to learn where we are most vulnerable, and how we can heal disinformation-driven divisions and fears through persuasive communication. Sign up for Truth Brigade Workshop and Orientation for new members on Jan. 22, 6:30, or visit the website for more information.
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Stay up-to-date on Texas News
Sign up for legislative alerts to stay informed on how your advocacy and activism can be a part of protecting progressive values at your Capitol.
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Watch Making Meaning of the Moment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvA4p2S8-UA
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Affordable Health Care
Enroll for coverage: https://www.healthcare.gov
Open enrollment ends Jan 15, 2025.
Texas’ 90,000 DACA recipients can sign up for Affordable Care Act coverage for the first time. Those enrolled in the federal program shielding them from deportation can enroll through Jan. 15, but a lawsuit and Trump’s anti-immigration stance threaten to eliminate eligibility.
Resource Guide from the National Immigration Law Center
Know Your Rights
by LULAC, know what to do if confronted by immigration authorities.
https://lulac.org/know_your_rights
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Reliable News Sources, with Actions You Can Take
TexasTribune, DailyKos, and InequalityMedia.org/videos with Robert Reich.
Glenn Kirschner, Justice Matters, YouTube.com/@GlennKirschner2
ChopWoodCarryWaterDailyActions.substack.com/subscribe (free version)
County Law Library: https://www.co.grayson.tx.us/page/cjll.home
Volunteer to manage our booth at festivals.
Our most significant visible presence in the community is our representation at our county festivals. Find out more here.
We need precinct chairs and precinct volunteers.
Grayson County Democratic Party Precinct Chairs and the County Chair are elected for two year terms at the county primary in March of even numbered years.
Precinct Chair vacancies may be filled by appointment of the Chair during other times of the year upon receipt and approval of the application.
Sign the application form in front of a notary. Then submit the application to GCDP Chair Barb Rush. You may bring it to the monthly meeting. If appointed, you may take the oath at a monthly meeting.
Voting precinct maps- separated
Voting precinct map- County-wide, hi-res
Make voting easier.
Grayson County should open all polling locations during early voting. That would increase early voting locations from 6 to 22, as on election day, which would still leave almost half of all 41 precincts without election locations.
Election officials, both state and the local Election Board, should decide to open early voting on the weekend before the election. And extend Sunday hours.
State officials can be lobbied to pass legislation making voting-by-mail easier.
– Eliminate the requirement of filling in extra blanks. Just sign and return your ballot.
– Eliminate the age requirement (being over 65); ie, institute no-excuse vote-by-mail.
As Houston proved in 2020, cities with large urban areas can increase voting with drive-through voting locations and 24-hour voting. The state legislature would have to pass new laws allowing both these options again, since Republicans outlawed them in 2021, after witnessing the increased voter turnout in Houston.