Dylan Hedrick

Dylan Hedrick is the Mayor of Garland in Texas. He assumed office on June 17, 2025. His current term ends in 2027.

Hedrick ran for election for Mayor of Garland in Texas. He won in the general runoff election on June 7, 2025.

Hedrick completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Hedrick informed Ballotpedia in 2025 that he is nonpartisan.^[1]

Biography

Hedrick earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and an M.B.A. from Rice University in Houston, Texas.^[2] His career experience includes working as a civil engineer for DIG Engineers.^[3]

Elections

2025

General runoff election

General runoff election for Mayor of Garland

Dylan Hedrick defeated Deborah S. Morris in the general runoff election for Mayor of Garland on June 7, 2025.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Dylan Hedrick (Nonpartisan)	51.7	4,010
	Deborah S. Morris (Nonpartisan)	48.3	3,748

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 7,758
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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General election

General election for Mayor of Garland

The following candidates ran in the general election for Mayor of Garland on May 3, 2025.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Deborah S. Morris (Nonpartisan)	42.4	4,171
✔	Dylan Hedrick (Nonpartisan)	33.2	3,261
	PC Mathew (Nonpartisan)	8.3	815
	Shibu Samuel (Nonpartisan)	7.4	726
	Roel Garcia (Nonpartisan)	5.2	513
	Koni Ramos-Kaiwi (Nonpartisan)	3.5	345

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 9,831
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

To view Hedrick's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Hedrick in this election.

2023

General election

General election for Garland City Council District 7

Incumbent Dylan Hedrick won election in the general election for Garland City Council District 7 on May 6, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dylan Hedrick (Nonpartisan)	100.0	856

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 856
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2021

General election

General election for Garland City Council District 7

Incumbent Dylan Hedrick won election in the general election for Garland City Council District 7 on May 1, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dylan Hedrick (Nonpartisan)	100.0	722

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 722
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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2019

General election

General election for Garland City Council District 7

Dylan Hedrick won election in the general election for Garland City Council District 7 on May 4, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dylan Hedrick (Nonpartisan)	100.0	506

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 506
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Andrew Castillo (Nonpartisan)

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

Dylan Hedrick completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hedrick's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Dylan Hedrick is a dedicated public servant, civil engineer, and community leader with a vision for a stronger, more prosperous Garland. Born and raised in Texas, Dylan developed a deep appreciation for hard work, service, and integrity—values that continue to guide his leadership today.

After earning his degree in civil engineering and a Master’s of Business Administration, both from Rice University, Dylan built a successful career as a professional engineer designing land development and infrastructure improvements across Texas and the Mid-Atlantic states.

Currently serving first on the Plan Commission, then as a City Councilman for Garland’s District 7, he has been a champion for smart growth, improved infrastructure, fiscal responsibility, and public safety. His work has directly contributed to revitalizing neighborhoods, enhancing city services, and attracting new businesses to the community.

Now, Dylan is running for mayor to continue his mission of delivering transparent leadership, innovative solutions, and a city government that works for its people. He has been endorsed by current Mayor Scott LeMay and former Mayor Lori Barnett Dodson. With a focus on economic growth, infrastructure improvements, and community engagement, he is ready to keep Garland moving ahead.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

The first thing I want to accomplish as mayor is to bring a hospital back to Garland. We are one of the largest cities by population in the country not to have a community hospital. I will use all my authority as mayor and my connections within the development community to bring a hospital to Garland.
The city has purchased property near the existing VA Hospital, and with the right partnership through a public-private partnership, we can incentivize a hospital to return to Garland.
I plan on using the economic development tools available through Proposition B of the proposed 2025 Bond Program, TIF #3 funds, and development incentives/fee waivers to entice the right developer to construct a hospital.
Second, I am focused on improving the condition of the streets and alleys in the city by following our streets improvement plan that was approved in October of 2024. Who better to help rebuild our city infrastructure than someone who has spent their entire career as a civil engineer building streets and infrastructure projects? I will bring that experience of delivering major construction projects to the table as mayor to ensure your tax dollars are spend in the most productive and efficient manner to improve and rebuild our infrastructure to the greatest degree possible.
Finally, I am committed to ensuring that every area of the city receives equitable treatment when it comes to city spending. We cannot solely focus on one area of the city at the expense of others. To this end, I have successfully advocated for the expansion of TIF #1 to include additional areas north of the Forest-Jupiter DART station, which will bring much needed funding to improve this area. I will do the same for all parts of Garland, including the areas around IH-635 and IH-30 (Harbor Point), ensuring economic development spending is spread across the entire city.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

In 2023, I led a local option petition effort to allow for the voters to decide whether or not to allow packaged liquor sales within the city limits.

Although we were not successful, the effort lives on in the Texas legislature as our local representatives have picked up the torch and filed a bill to allow for a local election.

If they are successful, it will add an estimated $500,000 in tax revenue to our budget – enough for four additional police officers or firefighters – all without having to raise taxes or fees.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my parents who instilled in me a strong work ethic. Without a college education, my father worked shift work (alternating blocks of four 12 hour days and nights) at an oil refinery in Corpus Christi to support and provide our family. Due to his schedule, we never knew if he would be there on holidays or birthdays, but it did allow him to volunteer at our school on his off days.

My mother worked 32 years as a school teacher -- 16 years in Special Education and 16 years as a prekindergarten teacher. Through her I learned the importance of a good education and the importance of teaching those most vulnerable in our community.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

"Basic Economics" by Thomas Sowell is a huge influence on my political philosophy as it relates to economics. Basic Economics offers valuable insights into promoting economic growth and addressing infrastructure needs—your top priorities.

Some of the key takeaways for me include:

Efficient Resource Allocation:
Prioritizing projects that deliver the highest return on investment for residents, ensuring that tax dollars fund essential services and infrastructure improvements that foster long-term growth.

Economic Incentives:
Encouraging private investment through predictable regulations and targeted incentives that attract businesses without creating market distortions or unnecessary public burdens.

Public-Private Partnerships (PPP):
Emphasizing voluntary exchanges by supporting PPPs—like the proposed $150 million soccer stadium—ensuring taxpayer funds are used responsibly while leveraging private capital for community benefits.

Minimizing Unintended Consequences:
Evaluating potential side effects of policies, such as rent controls or excessive business regulations, which could inadvertently stifle economic activity or reduce housing availability.

Property Rights and Economic Freedom:
Protecting property rights to attract investment and foster entrepreneurship, enhancing Garland’s economic competitiveness.

Transparent, Outcome-Focused Policies:
Advocating for data-driven decisions, focusing on measurable results rather than intentions, aligning with residents' desires for effective governance and fiscal responsibility.

By following the economic principles Sowell has laid out in the book, I have worked to craft policies that promote sustainable economic growth, improve infrastructure, and attract investment—all addressing Garland’s current challenges while ensuring prosperity for its residents.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The mayor must strive to build consensus within the city council and must have a good working relationship with its members. Solving problems is much easier when you work together as a team rather than as an individual.

I have great relationships and respect for each and everyone of the current members of council, and I know that they also were elected with a passion to serve. I know that as mayor, my role is to help them be as successful as possible, because if they are successful in representing their districts, Garland will be successful as well.

The mayor also has the responsibility to serve as the ceremonial head of the city at community events. Therefore, he must conduct himself with dignity and respect worthy of the office at all times.

The mayor serves as an important communications conduit between citizens and staff. As a member of the city council, I have been committed to being available either by phone or email whenever I am needed, day or night. Callers are amazed that when they call my phone number, it rings the phone in my pocket and is not answered by a secretary. When people contact me, they can be assured that I will address their issue by connecting them to the appropriate city department and providing them with an honest answer to their inquiry.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I wish to live my life as an example that my children can look up to and imitate. I believe my most important role as a man is to be a husband and father who protects, defends, provides, initiates, and sacrifices for his family. I strive to do my best in those five areas every day with the love and support of my family and the guidance of my Catholic faith.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first historical event I remember in my lifetime was the First Gulf War which I watched being broadcast on CNN. I was eight years old at the time and remember seeing the brave soldiers fight to defend our country in a foreign land overseas. It instilled a source of pride for my country and those who serve it at an very early age.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job I held was in high school as a lifeguard at Oso Pool in Corpus Christi, Texas. I spent three years teaching swimming lessons, and eventually earned my Water Safety Instructor certification. During my three summers, I did have to make a handful of saves of children who jumped off the diving board and were not confident in their swimming abilities. I am thankful of the lessons of responsibility that this first job taught me.

What is your favorite book? Why?

My favorite fiction book is "As I Lay Dying" by William Faulkner. The narrative is told from the perspective of 15 different narrators providing a varying perspective and insight into the characters' inner lives as they struggle to bury the family matriarch. The novel is filled with dark humor as the dysfunctional dynamics of the family are laid bare thought their journey.

"My mother is a fish."

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

The Beatles - Here Comes the Sun

If the mayor in your city is a member of the city council and there's a city manager appointed to handle the day-to-day administration of the city government, what do you believe should be the mayor's top priority in office?

My primary responsibility as mayor will be to run council meetings in a manner that encourages healthy debate and discussion among council members, while moving to achieve consensus on any item presented before the council. The mayor is only one vote out of the nine members, and he should not force his will on any members.

As a council member for the past six years, I have strived to present and discuss items for consideration in a compelling way as to move Garland towards growth and prosperity while being a good steward of the taxpayer’s dollars.

Once the council votes and makes a decision, the Mayor must trust the staff to implement the policies. With the city manager serving as the "CEO" of the city, a mayor should not involve himself in the day-to-day activities of the administration of those policies. Doing so will only get in the way and slow down progress towards achieving the policy goals on which council has voted.

What do you love most about your city?

What I love most about my city is the welcoming, small-town feel of the city, even though we are a city of nearly 250,000 people. When my family first moved to Garland a decade ago, we were immediately welcomed into our neighborhood by loving neighbors.

Garland's diversity of cultures, perspectives, and ideas here make it a great place to raise a family, like I am doing with my two daughters (8 and 10) and my son (3). Garland has wonderful public amenities such as parks, trails, and libraries -- including a newly renovated Downtown Square, and a great variety of restaurants, including many ethnic options. Some of the best Vietnamese food you will eat in the country is located right here in Garland.

Garland has endless opportunity and it is truly a place where you can live the American dream where you will be supported by your city and neighbors.

What do you perceive to be your city's greatest challenges over the next decade?

The biggest challenge facing the city is what has been dubbed “Garland’s Challenge” by city staff and council. This is the fact that we as a city receive lower revenues collected from property taxes and sales tax per capita than surrounding Metroplex cities. This means the city must have a higher property tax rate to receive the same amount of revenue as other cities.

Additionally, Senate Bill 2 from 2019 only allows for a 3.5% annual increase in property tax revenue, which means the city’s ability to provide the same level of service is reduced each year by high inflation levels.
I want to address this by expanding economic development through the use of public-private partnerships to bring in and diversify city revenue sources through the use of a local option election to allow for packaged liquor sales.

Secondly, many areas of Garland, particularly in older neighborhoods, have aging roads, water lines, and drainage systems that were originally built in the 1960s to 1980s. The infrastructure in these areas have reached the end of their life cycle and are in need of repair or replacement.

On the city council, I advocated for using stormwater fees as a method to finance drainage improvement projects rather than having to raise taxes, and this year got the Gatewood Drainage Improvements project added to the Capital Improvement Project budget. As a professional civil engineer, my focus as mayor will be on improving the streets and infrastructure of the entire city.

Tell us your favorite joke.

My wife said I have no sense of direction. I said, "Where did that come from?"

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the mayor's office and law enforcement?

The mayor takes an oath, just as our sworn civil servants do, to protect, uphold and defend the constitution and laws of the US, the State of Texas and the City of Garland. Therefore, it is my duty as mayor to do everything I can to support our law enforcement officers to keep their oath.

This means providing them with the necessary funding to have the best training, equipment and facilities to do their job. It also means publicly supporting them during incidents such as the officer involved shooting that happened this week (2/24/2025) where two of our officers sustained injuries.

These brave men and women in uniform work tirelessly 24-hours a day to protect us so that we may enjoy the benefits of living in a free country. We owe them an immense debt of gratitude and they will always have my support in upholding their oath.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Current Mayor Scott LeMay

Former Mayor Lori Barnett Dodson
District 4 Councilman BJ Williams
District 7 Council Candidate Joe Thomas
Community Multicultural Commission Member & 2025 Bond Study Committee Member Jair Garrido
Community Multicultural Commission Member Charles Leonard

Property Standards Board Appointee Gayle Owens

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2023

Dylan Hedrick did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.

2021

Dylan Hedrick did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.

2019

Ballotpedia survey responses

Dylan Hedrick did not complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

Mayor of Garland

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Ballotpedia staff, "Email communication with Dylan Hedrick," June 12, 2025
↑ Garland, Texas, "Dylan Hedrick," accessed May 21, 2019
↑ Garland, Texas, "Mayor," accessed June 23, 2025

Political offices
Preceded by Scott LeMay	Mayor of Garland 2025-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Garland City Council District 7 2019-2025	Succeeded by Joe Thomas Jr.

[1] Ballotpedia staff, "Email communication with Dylan Hedrick," June 12, 2025

[2] Garland, Texas, "Dylan Hedrick," accessed May 21, 2019

[3] Garland, Texas, "Mayor," accessed June 23, 2025

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Dylan Hedrick

Biography

Elections

2025

General runoff election

General runoff election for Mayor of Garland

General election

General election for Mayor of Garland

Endorsements

2023

General election

General election for Garland City Council District 7

2021

General election

General election for Garland City Council District 7

2019

General election

General election for Garland City Council District 7

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

2023

2021

2019

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also

External links

Footnotes

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