Six candidates will compete for a single at-large seat on the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees this fall, making Position 4 the most contested race on a Nov. 3 ballot that also includes two other board seats.

The filing period closed Aug. 17, and nine candidates total are now set across Positions 1, 4 and 5, according to Community Impact. All Fort Bend ISD voters, including those in Missouri City and Stafford, can cast ballots in all three races. Trustees serve three-year terms.

Position 4: six-way at-large contest

The at-large Position 4 seat drew the biggest field. Incumbent board Secretary Shirley Rose-Gilliam faces five challengers: Robert Dombrowski, Rob Dominguez, Dan Mathews, Shirisha Mudhireddy and Eric Pursley. Because the seat is at-large, candidates can reside anywhere in the district.

Position 1: incumbent vs. challenger

Board Vice President Angie Hanan is seeking re-election in Position 1, which represents the western portion of the district. She faces one challenger, Pedro Valencia.

Hanan drew attention in March when the board voted to close seven elementary schools amid a projected $56.4 million budget deficit. At that March 9 meeting, Hanan said she could not "surrender my judgment based on the perceived threat of being on the [Texas Education Agency's] radar."

Position 5: unopposed

Incumbent board member Addie Heyliger is running unopposed for Position 5, which covers the eastern portion of the district.

What voters need to know

Voter registration closes Monday, Oct. 5. Early voting runs Oct. 19–30, with Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

The incoming board will face significant decisions. Fort Bend ISD, which serves about 78,062 students across 83 campuses, projected in March that enrollment could drop an additional 1.5% in the 2026–27 school year due to the state's school voucher program, according to K-12 Dive. That would mean a loss of roughly 1,167 students.

A secondary school boundary survey affecting Elkins High School in Missouri City, among others, closes Sunday, Aug. 30.