Dallas City Clerk Election — November 2026

Margaret L. Rivera

for City Clerk of Dallas

Two decades of public service. A commitment to transparent records, open government, and a City Hall that works for every resident of Dallas.

20+

Years in Public Service

1.3M

Dallas Residents to Serve

47

Community Endorsements

Records & Transparency

Election Administration

Open Public Records

Community Access

A Lifelong Servant of Dallas

For over twenty years, Margaret Rivera has devoted her career to the people of Dallas. As a former Deputy City Clerk and Records Manager for the City of Dallas, she has spent two decades ensuring that residents, business owners, and elected officials have access to the documents and decisions that shape daily life in our city.

Margaret grew up in Oak Cliff, attended Dallas public schools, and earned her Bachelor’s in Public Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas. She later completed her Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designation, the highest professional credential in her field, through the International Institute of Municipal Clerks.

As your City Clerk, Margaret will prioritize digital modernization of city records, streamlined public-records request processing, rigorous election administration, and a City Council support office that operates with full transparency. The City Clerk isn’t a behind-the-scenes role, it is the front door to your local government.

She lives in East Dallas with her husband Carlos and their two daughters. She serves on the board of the Lakewood Neighborhood Association and volunteers monthly with Dallas Public Library literacy programs.

Credentials & Experience

Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC), IIMC — 2012
Deputy City Clerk, City of Dallas — 2009–2022
Records Manager, City Secretary's Office — 2004–2009
B.S. Public Administration, UT Dallas — 2003
Texas Municipal Clerks Association — Board Member
Open Government Coalition of Texas — Member
Dallas Public Library Literacy Board — Volunteer Director
Lakewood Neighborhood Association — Board Member
NFBPA — Greater Dallas Chapter Member

What Margaret Will Fight For

The City Clerk’s office touches every resident of Dallas, from the voter registering for the first time to the business owner pulling a public record. Here’s how Margaret will modernize and strengthen this office.

Digital Records Modernization

Transition Dallas city records to a fully searchable, cloud-backed digital archive. Residents deserve instant access to ordinances, meeting minutes, and resolutions, not weeks of waiting.

Faster Public Records Requests

Cut the average TPIA response time from 30+ days to under 10 business days through dedicated staffing, better software, and clearer request intake procedures.

Election Integrity & Accessibility

Administer every city election with rigorous standards, multilingual voter outreach, and expanded early voting sites — especially in underserved neighborhoods across Dallas.

Council Meeting Transparency

Publish full Council agendas 72 hours in advance (not 24), post certified minutes within 5 business days, and create plain-language summaries residents can actually read.

Multilingual City Services

Dallas is a city of many languages. All core Clerk's Office services — forms, requests, voter registration — will be available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Amharic.

Records Security & Preservation

Implement modern cybersecurity standards and off-site backup protocols to protect Dallas's historical and legal records from disaster, data loss, or unauthorized access.

The Issues Facing Dallas City Hall

Dallas residents have faced consistent challenges accessing their own government. Margaret is running to fix that, starting on day one.

Backlogged Records Requests

Dallas City Hall consistently misses Texas Public Information Act deadlines, leaving journalists, attorneys, and ordinary residents waiting months for basic government documents they're legally entitled to.

Outdated Records Infrastructure

Critical city records, including council minutes dating back decades, are stored in paper formats with no searchable digital counterpart. A disaster could wipe them out permanently.

Voter Access Gaps

Several Dallas neighborhoods, particularly in southern Dallas, lack adequate early voting infrastructure, creating real disparities in who can easily participate in local elections.

Limited Public Participation

City Council meeting agendas posted too late and minutes too complex for average residents mean real transparency is out of reach for most Dallasites, especially working families.

Dallas Stands with Margaret

From neighborhood leaders to civic institutions, Dallasites across the city trust Margaret Rivera to lead the City Clerk’s Office.

Jane Smith brings exactly the financial expertise and integrity that Dallas County has needed for years. She will hold county government accountable, to all 2.6 million of us.

Robert W. Chambers

Former Dallas City Manager, 2008–2019

Jane’s commitment to transparency isn’t just a promise, it’s a professional standard she has maintained throughout her entire career in Dallas public finance.

Dr. Patricia Nguyen

Executive Director, Dallas Open Government Coalition

As a community leader in South Dallas, I know how much trust matters. Jane Smith has earned mine, and she deserves yours.

James A. Okafor

Owner, Cedar Hill Enterprises — Greater Dallas Chamber

Organizational Endorsements:

Dallas Teachers Federation

TX Municipal Clerks Assoc.

Oak Cliff Neighborhood Alliance

Dallas Latino Chamber

Greater Dallas NAACP

Lakewood Preservation Society

Help Elect Margaret Rivera

This campaign is built by Dallas residents, for Dallas residents. Whether you can spare an afternoon, a donation, or your yard, there’s a place for you here.

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