Mansfield school board declares candidate ineligible but he will remain on May 4 ballot

The Mansfield school board on Thursday declared Place 2 candidate Angel Hidalgo ineligible for the May 4 election.

The decision during a special meeting comes after the Star-Telegram reported last week that employees and school board members knew for months that Hidalgo was likely ineligible.

Hidalgo will remain on the May 4 ballot, according to board president Courtney Lackey Wilson. If he prevails in the election the spot will remain vacated and filled by a board appointee. Early voting starts Monday.

The district had previously stated Hidalgo would stay on the ballot because the Feb. 23 deadline to remove him had passed, however emails obtained by the Star-Telegram show a Tarrant County elections administration worker asked the district if it had decided whether to keep Hidalgo on the ballot weeks after the deadline.

Pasquel Lee, an attorney hired by Hidalgo’s opponent Jandel Crutchfield, said in a statement sent to the school board and reviewed by the Star-Telegram that if Hidalgo remained on the ballot and somehow prevailed on election day, he and his law firm would advice Crutchfield to exercise “all rights and remedies under the law.”

In addition to the offer to remove him after the deadline was declined by the district, text messages show board president Courtney Lackey Wilson and school board member Desiree Thomas said in a text exchange on Feb. 7 that Hidalgo was not registered to vote in Tarrant County.

Records also showed Lackey Wilson instructed Hidalgo to use a personal email address because he had used Tarrant County College email for campaign purposes, which is illegal under Texas state law.

Hidalgo was not at the board meeting. He has responded to multiple requests for comment.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.