Allen mayoral race gives voters key choice on city’s direction

Allen voters will have a shorter ballot than some neighbors, but the race for mayor still puts the city’s direction squarely on the line. With Mayor Baine Brooks finishing his final term under city limits, Chris Schulmeister and Dave Shafer are competing for the only contested local race in Allen’s May 2 election.

The stakes are bigger than one office. Allen’s population was estimated at 113,746 in July 2024, up from 104,627 in the 2020 Census, and the city is marking its 150th anniversary in 2026. That growth has made questions about roads, infrastructure, spending and the pace of future projects central to city politics, especially in a council-manager government where the mayor and councilmembers are elected citywide to staggered three-year terms.

Brooks’ departure closes a seven-year run on the council and in the mayor’s chair. He served on the Allen City Council from 2012 to 2022, was mayor pro tem from 2021 to 2022, and became mayor in 2023. Schulmeister brings recent council experience of his own, having served from 2019 to 2025 and as mayor pro tem from 2022 to 2024. Shafer won Council Place 5 in 2021 but lost his bid for reelection in a 2024 runoff.

Both candidates are seeking to define what Allen should prioritize next. Shafer has said he is focused on public safety, proactive maintenance and fiscal discipline. Schulmeister has framed his campaign around Allen’s future direction. That contrast gives voters a direct choice over how quickly the city should move on projects and how carefully it should balance growth with services residents notice every day.

The rest of the ballot is quiet by comparison. Tommy Baril is unopposed for Allen City Council Place 2, and Allen Independent School District board seats 6 and 7 are uncontested, with Polly Montgomery and Bill Parker running without opposition. Even so, the mayor’s race remains the clearest measure of how engaged Allen voters are this cycle.

Early voting runs April 20 through April 28, with Election Day on Saturday, May 2. Allen residents can vote at the Allen Municipal Court Community Room, 301 Century Parkway, or the Allen ISD Service Center Main Lobby, 1451 N. Watters Road. The city says any registered Collin County voter can use any vote center during early voting or on Election Day, and county polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Curbside voting is available for people unable to enter the polling place.