Election
BY DANIEL SCHWALM
Special Election Guide
2026
Dates to know
Where to vote
Jan. 26: First day of early voting Jan. 27: Last day to apply for ballot by mail (received, not postmarked) Feb. 6: Last day of early voting
Both Williamson and Travis County residents will cast their ballots at a single polling location during both early voting and on election day. The special election voting poll will be located at the Pat Bryson Council Chambers, 201 N. Brushy Street, Leander.
Feb. 7: Election day and the last day to receive ballot by mail (marked ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on election day as long as it is postmarked on or before election day.)
Only candidates in contested elections are included. Go to county election websites for information on uncontested races.
Leander Mayor
Kathryn Pantalion-Parker Occupation & experience: Consultative Sales, Personal Stylist/ Fashion Consultant, semi-retired. Volunteer for numerous community organizations. www.kp4leander.com
Na’Cole Thompson Occupation & experience: Mayor Pro Tem, city council member, small business owner, retired banker www.nacolethompson.com
Mike Sanders Occupation & experience: Retired Electronic Engineer, pastored church for numerous years without pay, Experience running meetings. www.mike4leander.com
What makes you uniquely qualified to be mayor of Leander?
Experience- 6 years on City Council, record attendance missing only 3 meetings. Achievements include launching the first transportation and water studies, making the Smart Code optional, and improving ease of doing business through third-party process analysis and reforms. Added CapMetro and sales tax to the ballot, empowering voters to decide.
Leander is home for my family and my business. As Mayor Pro Tem, I handle day-to-day city operations with proven leadership getting real results for residents. Colleagues selected me three times to serve in this role. Endorsed by both Leander firefighters and police associations, residents benefit from steady direction and trusted relationships across city departments and the region.
As an engineer, I regularly create new things that never existed before, by looking at things from new and different perspectives than others have done in the past. I am the only candidate for Mayor who brings new ideas to the table, for solving old problems.
What will be your top priority if you are elected?
When elected, I will keep Leander on a smart-growth path by balancing infrastructure with growth, improving transportation, and returning to lowering property tax rate through fiscally conservative measures. Staff pay improvements were necessary; now balance is key, using targeted commercial growth, disciplined budgeting and job creation as the catalyst.
My top priority focuses on keeping Leander stable and safe as growth continues. My record shows I have supported public safety and will continue to do so while advancing infrastructure, water planning, and commercial development. Clear communication with residents ensures decisions reflect community needs and long-term fiscal responsibility.
Top priorities are to Establish an alternate source for water, Stop approving additional high-density apartment buildings, Stop giving CapMetro half of all our sales tax revenue, Lower property taxes, Maintain strong public safety (police and fire), Improve infrastructure such as roads and parks, and facilitate improved high-speed internet options.
What do you see as the city’s biggest challenge, and what will you do to address it?
Employers and economic development are vital and have made tremendous strides, but the big focus must be jobs. By attracting good employers, supporting small business growth, zoning smartly, simplifying permits, and aligning workforce training with industry needs, we keep workers in town, boost daytime traffic and strengthen restaurants and retail.
Rapid growth places pressure on roads, water, services, and trust. I lead council discussions addressing growth through staff and regional coordination, long- term planning, disciplined budgeting, and resident engagement. This approach delivers clear decisions and measurable progress without sacrificing quality of life.
We have a single source of water that is inadequate, causing us to be constantly under water restrictions. We must take action rather than only talk about improving our water supply. Bring water from alternate sources such as Lake Buchanan or Lake Belton or the aquifer below us.
Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity. For more election coverage, go to www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.
16
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Powered by FlippingBook