Filing opened Saturday, July 18, 2026, for three Tarrant Appraisal District board seats, including one held by former Carroll ISD trustee Matt Bryant and another by former Colleyville City Council member Callie Rigney. Southlake, Colleyville, and Grapevine-area residents who want to run have until 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17, to enter the race.
The seats will appear on the Tuesday, Nov. 3, general election ballot. Winners will begin terms on Jan. 1, 2027, according to a TAD press release reported by Community Impact Newspaper.
Who holds the seats
The three positions are held by Eric Morris, Callie Rigney, and Matt Bryant. All three won their seats in May 2024, the first time Tarrant County voters directly elected TAD board members under Senate Bill 2. That law required appraisal districts in counties with populations over 75,000 to add three at-large directors chosen by voters. The initial terms were staggered so that all three seats return to the ballot in 2026.
Bryant served as a Carroll ISD school board trustee in Southlake before joining the TAD board. Rigney served on the Colleyville City Council. Morris was a Haltom City council member.
After taking office, the trio pushed to shift TAD's appraisal cycle from annual to biennial. The board approved that change at its July 22, 2024, meeting. Bryant said at the time that the move would "allow for a more accurate, fair and timely appraisal process," according to Community Impact's prior reporting.
Why it matters locally
TAD handles all real estate and business personal property appraisals for 73 jurisdictions across Tarrant County, including cities, school districts, and colleges. Those appraisals determine the taxable property values that drive revenue for Carroll ISD, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, Westlake Academy, and every other local taxing entity.
The biennial appraisal schedule means property values used for school district budgets are updated less frequently. The board is also weighing a separate reappraisal plan, per the Fort Worth Report, though no details have been released.
How to file
Candidates must file applications with the Tarrant County clerk or elections administrator and indicate whether they are running for Place 1, Place 2, or Place 3. Under HB 148, effective Sept. 1, 2025, candidates must also sign an Acknowledgement of Director's Duties form and submit it to the TAD chief appraiser before filing.
The filing fee is $400, according to the Texas Secretary of State's office. Candidates may alternatively submit a petition with at least 500 qualified voter signatures in lieu of the fee.
Applicants must have resided in Tarrant County for at least two years before taking office, meaning residency since at least Jan. 1, 2025. The withdrawal deadline for filed candidates is 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24.
The Nov. 3 election will be the second time Tarrant County voters directly choose TAD board members. Filing closes at 5 p.m. Aug. 17.
