Felonies may not keep Arlington mayoral candidate from running. Here's why.
A two-time convicted felon is running for mayor in Arlington, and the city says he can remain on the ballot unless it is presented proof he did not have his “full citizenship rights restored.” But what exactly that means has caused confusion surrounding candidates’ eligibility in local races across the state.
Jerry Warden, who filed Feb. 11 in the crowded eight-person mayor race, holds a lifetime listing in the state’s sex offender registry after his conviction in 1996 of aggravated kidnapping and sexual abuse of a 24-year-old woman. A grand jury also found Warden guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 1995, according to Tarrant County criminal records. He served time for both felony charges at the same time.
State election laws prohibit people with felony convictions from running unless they are pardoned or had their full citizenship rights restored. Warden signed off on his application that he had his rights restored. He said in a phone interview with the Star-Telegram that his rights were restored after he served his sentences.
Texas Election Code states that candidates must be pardoned from their felonies or “otherwise released from the resulting disabilities.” Lawmakers have in recent years proposed clarifying or eliminating the line.
Read more: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/arlington/article249522045.html