Denton voters will have the chance to cast their ballots June 13 for Erica Garland or George Michael Ferrie Jr. as the representative for Denton City Council at-large Place 5. The race for the City Council seat advanced to a runoff election after no candidate received at least 50% of the vote during the May 2 local election.

Candidate Platforms

Garland and Ferrie were the candidates who received the most votes out of the three candidates who initially ran. Garland earned 48.84% of the votes, while Ferrie received 47.94% of the ballots cast.

Garland stated that she is running because her work as a social worker has shown her the urgent need to dismantle systems failing working people. She aims to ensure development doesn’t ignore infrastructure and return autonomy and power directly to the community. Ferrie, on the other hand, is running because Denton deserves steady, practical leadership focused on core city responsibilities.

When asked about the biggest challenges facing the city, Garland cited rising costs for rent, food, and healthcare, while wages stagnate. Ferrie mentioned balancing rapid growth with responsible resource management, maintaining infrastructure, strengthening public safety, and improving unsheltered services.

Both candidates have outlined their plans to address these issues, with Garland focusing on implementing an infrastructure-first development ordinance and championing deeply affordable housing. Ferrie will prioritize data-driven decision making, responsible budgeting, and long-term planning, while strengthening infrastructure investment and supporting first responders.

Original reporting: Community Impact — Denton — read the source article.