Three candidates are challenging ballot denials over felony status in court, citing election code interpretation.
DALLAS — It’s three weeks into the Dallas City Council race. While several seats are up for grabs, there are three hopefuls you won’t see: Keio Gamble of District 8, Aimee Ramsey of District 14, and Landers Isom III of District 4.
The three all checked the box “felony conviction status” on their applications.
Gamble points to the wording in the Texas Election Code.
“The Texas Election Code says that if you have a prior felony conviction, then you need to provide proof of pardon or otherwise being released from those results and disabilities,” Gamble said. “That’s the big piece that has allowed other people to get on the ballot. It says pardon or. It doesn’t say pardon only.”
All three were previously released for felonies convicted at least 28 or more years ago; however, they’re applications were denied, setting them weeks behind in campaigning.
“In two words, I would call it election interference,” Gamble said.
They said they were told they didn’t submit the proper paperwork. Ramsey ran for Texas House last year and used her same application this time.
“I’ve always had to take that extra step to prove and show my paperwork. This is the first time that I’ve actually been told no,” Ramsey said.
Isom was initially approved for the ballot but was denied days later.
“They’re just trying to keep everybody together that has this in their background because you can’t let one through without the other,” Isom said.
The three took the issue to court, filing temporary restraining orders to get on the ballot until a judge makes a final decision. Ramsey was denied in District and Appeals court. She is now taking her case to the Supreme Court of Texas.
“That’s why we’re still fighting this and trying to push it to the end to try and set precedence for the future because this is the exact definition of reform,” Ramsey said.
WFAA reached out to the City of Dallas several times but has not received a response to the initial denials.
“Who better to serve, to me, than people who have actually gone through what’s going on in the communities and made the necessary adjustments and changes in their lives?” Isom said.
Gamble called it bad politics having received threats.
“I was told that if I keep pushing, I might need to get a bulletproof vest,” Gamble said. “People will say I don’t want the smoke and leave it alone. Well, I want the smoke and the cigarette that it comes from. For me, keep pushing, and I’ll keep pushing.”
They called it a fight for reform and a fight for chance.
