Races for Celina mayor, Celina City Council and Celina ISD school board were decided in a joint election May 2.
There were 1,817 votes cast for city races and 1,712 votes cast for school board races. Some people who live within city limits and vote in city races live outside Celina ISD boundaries and therefore can’t vote in school board races, and vice versa. Still, there is a large overlap between the two constituencies.
“Most likely in this election, there will be less than 2,500 people that live in Celina that will actually vote,” council member Philip Ferguson, who was not up for election, said in a social media post on the first day of early voting. “It’s pretty sad, isn’t it?”
At a glance
Celina voters elected representatives across five races:
- Incumbent Ryan Tubbs (76%) for Celina mayor
- Shea Scott (51%) for Celina City Council Place 4
- Shane Lamber (69%) for Celina City Council Place 5
- Cameron Riggs (70%) for Celina ISD school board Place 3
- Jennifer Driver (48%) for Celina ISD school board Place 4
Election results are unofficial until canvassed.
By the numbers
Celina’s population grew 269% from 2020 to 2025, according to data from the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
That growth wasn’t reflected in the number of votes cast in the recent city and school board elections, which dipped slightly compared to last year’s May elections.
On the other hand
Variation in voter turnout isn’t necessarily cause for alarm, since what’s on the ballot can change from year to year.
For example, turnout was higher in last year’s May election, when Celina ISD voters passed a $2.3 billion bond.
Still, city and school board officials have expressed concern about low voter turnout as Celina’s population booms.
“What does that mean for engagement?” Superintendent Tom Maglisceau asked at a May 6 town hall. “What does that mean for engagement around our community?”
In similar news
Voters will head to the polls again later this month for primary runoff elections to decide party nominations ahead of the midterms this November.
The runoff election is set for May 26, the day after Memorial Day, and early voting runs from May 18-22, per the secretary of state.
The Republican ballot includes contests for several high-profile races:
- Incumbent Sen. John Cornyn versus state Attorney General Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate
- State Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, versus U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, for Texas attorney general
- Incumbent Jim Wright versus former Tarrant County GOP chair Bo French for Texas railroad commissioner
On the Democratic ballot, contested races include:
- State Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, versus former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski for Texas attorney general
- State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, versus union leader Marcos Velez for Texas lieutenant governor
For more coverage of the March 3 primaries and the local races headed to runoffs, visit communityimpact.com/election.
