Marvin Sutton

This page was current at the end of the official's last term in office covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Marvin Sutton

Nonpartisan

Prior offices

Arlington City Council District 3

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Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last election

May 6, 2023

Education

Associate

Tarrant County College, 2000

Bachelor's

University of Texas at Arlington, 2005

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Air Force

Years of service

1980 - 1988

Service / branch

U.S. Air Force

Personal

Birthplace

Sylvester, Ga.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Retired

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Personal website

Personal LinkedIn

Marvin Sutton was a member of the Arlington City Council in Texas, representing District 3. He assumed office on May 21, 2019. He left office in 2021.

Sutton ran for election to the Arlington City Council to represent District 3 in Texas. He lost in the general election on May 6, 2023.

Sutton completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Marvin Sutton was born in Sylvester, Georgia. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1980 to 1988. He earned an associate degree from Tarrant County College in 2000. Sutton received a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Texas at Arlington. His professional experience includes working as an air traffic controller for the Federal Aviation Administration and working on the Arlington City Council.

Elections

2023

See also: City elections in Arlington, Texas (2023)

General election

General election for Arlington City Council District 3

Incumbent Nikkie Hunter defeated Marvin Sutton in the general election for Arlington City Council District 3 on May 6, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Nikkie Hunter (Nonpartisan)	58.3	1,533
		Marvin Sutton (Nonpartisan)	41.7	1,096

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,629
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2022

See also: Municipal elections in Tarrant County, Texas (2022)

General election

General election for Tarrant County Judge

Tim O'Hare defeated Deborah Peoples in the general election for Tarrant County Judge on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tim O'Hare (R)	53.0	309,176
		Deborah Peoples (D)	47.0	274,326

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 583,502
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Tarrant County Judge

Deborah Peoples defeated Marvin Sutton in the Democratic primary for Tarrant County Judge on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Deborah Peoples	82.7	59,383
		Marvin Sutton	17.3	12,464

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 71,847
= 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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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Tarrant County Judge

Tim O'Hare defeated Betsy Price, Byron Bradford, Kristen Collins, and Robert Trevor Buker in the Republican primary for Tarrant County Judge on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tim O'Hare	56.9	72,402
		Betsy Price	34.3	43,651
		Byron Bradford	3.4	4,308
	Submit photo	Kristen Collins	2.8	3,531
	Submit photo	Robert Trevor Buker	2.6	3,296

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 127,188
= 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.

2021

See also: Mayoral election in Arlington, Texas (2021)

General runoff election

General runoff election for Mayor of Arlington

Jim Ross defeated Michael Glaspie in the general runoff election for Mayor of Arlington on June 5, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jim Ross (Nonpartisan)	54.4	11,333
		Michael Glaspie (Nonpartisan)	45.6	9,484

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 20,817
= 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.

General election

General election for Mayor of Arlington

The following candidates ran in the general election for Mayor of Arlington on May 1, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jim Ross (Nonpartisan)	47.4	14,782
✔		Michael Glaspie (Nonpartisan)	21.1	6,590
		Marvin Sutton (Nonpartisan)	14.9	4,661
	Submit photo	Kelly Burke (Nonpartisan)	7.3	2,289
		Dewayne Washington (Nonpartisan)	5.1	1,597
		Doni Anthony (Nonpartisan)	1.8	566
	Submit photo	Cirilo Ocampo Jr. (Nonpartisan)	1.2	368

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 31,182
= 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

• Jerry Warden (Nonpartisan) (Disqualified, appeared on ballot)

2019

See also: City elections in Arlington, Texas (2019)

General election

General election for Arlington City Council District 3

Marvin Sutton defeated incumbent Roxanne Thalman in the general election for Arlington City Council District 3 on May 4, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Marvin Sutton (Nonpartisan)	51.9	1,504
		Roxanne Thalman (Nonpartisan)	48.1	1,394

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,898
= 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.

2017

See also: Municipal elections in Arlington, Texas (2017)

The city of Arlington, Texas, held elections for mayor and city council on May 6, 2017. A runoff election was held on June 10, 2017. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 17, 2017.

Roxanne Thalman defeated Marvin Sutton in the runoff election for District 3 on the Arlington City Council.

Arlington City Council, District 3 Runoff Election, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Roxanne Thalman	50.08%	925
Marvin Sutton	49.92%	922
Total Votes		1,847
Source: City of Arlington, Texas, "Official June 10, 2017 Election Results," accessed June 27, 2017

Marvin Sutton and Roxanne Thalman defeated Pablo Frias and Blerim Elmazi in the general election for District 3 on the Arlington City Council.

Arlington City Council, District 3 General Election, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Marvin Sutton	44.43%	1,156
Roxanne Thalman	34.82%	906
Pablo Frias	14.95%	389
Blerim Elmazi	5.80%	151
Total Votes		2,602
Source: City of Arlington, Texas, "Official May 6, 2017 Election Results," accessed May 19, 2017

Endorsements

Sutton received the following endorsement in 2017:

• Tarrant County AFL-CIO

2015

See also: Arlington, Texas municipal elections, 2015

The city of Arlington, Texas, held elections for mayor and city council on May 9, 2015. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was February 27, 2015. Four of the eight city council seats were up for election. An incumbent ran for re-election in each district.

In District 3, incumbent Robert Rivera defeated Daniel R. Melendez and Marvin Sutton.

Arlington City Council, District 3, 2015
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Robert Rivera Incumbent	57.7%	1,196
Marvin Sutton	36.3%	752
Daniel R. Melendez	6%	124
Total Votes		2,072
Source: Tarrant County Elections, "Official general election results," accessed May 28, 2015

Campaign themes

2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Marvin Sutton completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Sutton'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.

As a former councilman, air force veteran, and air traffic controller I am a strong and experienced leader focused on building trust and reconnecting citizens with city hall. This election is not about me, it's about serving the people of Arlington to the highest standards. I served honorably in the United States Air Force for 8 years securing weapons and as an air traffic controller making safe and effective decisions. I graduated with honors from both TCC and UTA. I hold a degree in accounting and successfully passed the CPA exam. I retired in 2018 with over 30 years of air traffic control services. I am available full-time to serve. As a previous Arlington councilman, I made decisions to protect the community and the environment. I served on National League of Cities and treasurer of the Tomorrow Foundation. I am a dedicated community activist, community leader, and philanthropist with great communication skills. I am a volunteer deputy registrar, registering over 3,000 voters. I am a member of Alpha Chi, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and a charter member of National Museum of African American History and Culture. I previously served as the Co-Chair of the Political Action Committee for the Arlington Branch of the NAACP and served as a member of the Arlington Redistricting Task Force Committee. Currently, I'm the vice president of Symphony Arlington and lifetime member of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. Called to serve!

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?

• I'm qualified, experienced, tested, and capable of delivering meaningful and impactful public policies that improve our quality of life.
• I'm passionate and committed to building trust and elevating the Arlington experience by improving public safety, fortifying our infrastructure, creating a robust economy, and protecting our environment and neighborhoods.
• I'm open, fair, transparent, and responsive to the needs of all of our citizens, businesses, and stakeholders.

Community Question Featured local question

Do you think the downtown area is healthy? What is your definition of a healthy downtown? What changes, if any, would you like to make?

Absolutely, our downtown is healthy. It is walkable, offers healthy meals, family oriented, nurtures your mind, and affordable.

Community Question Featured local question

How important is it to involve residents in the government’s decision-making process? What plans do you have regarding resident involvement in this process?

It has been one of my priorities to have citizens involved with their local government because those decisions affect their daily lives. The citizens' participation and involvement in local government results in good decision making that they can embrace. Residents are encouraged to communicate with local officials and hold them accountable. I communicate well and I am accessible to residents to address concerns. My personal cell has been available for over 16 years as a candidate and elected official on business cards, flyers, and social media.
As a previous councilman, I have the experience of working with residents and solving problems effectively. On past developments, I have personally canvassed the effected neighborhoods to get their opinions so that their voices would be heard on the council and encouraged them to attend the city council meetings.

Community Question Featured local question

How would you address crime and public safety? Do you have a different stance than current city council policy?

Crime is trending upward in the city. My vision is to work with law enforcement partners and stockholders to make an effective plan, to deploy cost effective smart technology, building a robust crime watch network, and creating sound public polices that supports access and opportunities for liveable wages.

Community Question Featured local question

What plans do you have regarding infrastructure?

Update and modernize our aging infrastructure on a cost-effective way to meet the demands of our growing population. My commitment to our neighborhoods are reflected in my service on the Community, Neighborhood and Development Committee where we awarded over $25,000 in matching grants to enhance and beautify our communities throughout Arlington. As a previous member of the Tarrant Regional Water District Advisory Committee, I focused on ensuring that only valid expenses are included in the cost of water purchased by the city resulting in lower cost to our citizens.

I'm passionate about protecting our communities and as a result, I led the charge to an ordinance amendment that increased the distance between gas well sites and daycare facilities.

As a previous council member, I work with council to secure $250,000 for a corridor study in southeast Arlington to improve the improve and enhance the District abilities to attract retail and commercial development.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about public safety, infrastructure, the environment, the economy, neighborhood enhancement, and upholding public policies.

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

My mom, she was a single parent who worked hard to provide for her children. Her faith was her strength.
John Lewis. It's my passion to stand strong for what's right for the citizens of Arlington. To advocate for them and make impactful decisions. I will continue to be a positive voice for the citizens and uphold my oath to protect and serve the community.

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

To be an affective and successful elected official, I believe in being open, transparent, and approachable. One must exhibit, integrity, strength, independent thought, work well with others, professional, committed, and organized. Interpersonal and communication sills are essential and think strategically.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I communicate well and advocate for the citizens and the community. I am open-minded, fair,, honest and a hard worker.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibilities are communicating with the citizens, representing them on the council by being their voice. They are tasked with reviewing and approving the budget, working with public service employees, and instilling trust in the community which ultimately leads to improving the quality of life.

What legacy would you like to leave?

The legacy of volunteerism. Investing in our community and Improving the quality of life. I am called to serve.

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

Supreme Court ruling on Brown vs The Board of Education resulted in the integration of the school systems. I was ten years old when our schools were integrated.

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

At age 17 I joined the United States Air Force, 8 years

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Being elected on the council was a difficult task.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

I believe the skills and qualities that are helpful to exhibit are effective communication, problem solving skills, work well with others, think strategically, understand budget, and collaborate on laws and polices. My previous experience and training has allowed me to excel in all of these skills.

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.

Note: Community Questions were submitted by the public and chosen for inclusion by a volunteer advisory board. The chosen questions were modified by staff to adhere to Ballotpedia’s neutrality standards. To learn more about Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Expansion Project, click here.

2022

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia February 27, 2022

Marvin Sutton completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Sutton'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.

I served honorably in the United States Air Force for seven years and nine months, securing nuclear weapons and providing air traffic control services to our military aviators. I graduated with honors from both TCC and UTA. I holds a degree in accounting and have successfully passed the CPA exam. I retired October 2018 with over 30 years of air traffic control services to passengers and aircrew flying in and out of DFW.

Previously, I served District 3 on the City Council in Arlington Texas, National League of Cities, Texas Municipal League, 20 years of service as an election judge and precinct chair, 14 years of service as a State Democratic Executive committeeman (SDEC) representing 10 counties at the state level, National Delegate (2000, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020), chair of the Tarrant County Senatorial District 9 Convention (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010), and parliamentarian of the Democratic Party State Convention 2018. Currently, I am a dedicated community activist, community leader, and philanthropist. I volunteer on local, state, and federal campaigns. I am a volunteer deputy registrar, registering over 2,500 voters in Tarrant County to participate in the election process. I am an experienced member of the redistricting committee. I am inspired to unite Tarrant County and promote prosperity for all. Experienced! Knowledgeable! Ready Day One! I value your support and vote! Marvin Sutton for Tarrant County Judge

Electmarvinsutton.com

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?

• I am a strong leader that promotes unity and prosperity for all of Tarrant County.
• As a knowledgeable and experienced leader I will advocate for access and opportunities for residents that are veterans, disabled, seniors, students, families, etc. I will advocate for all residents so that no group would be left behind. I believe in unity and inclusion.
• With my experience on city council, my educational background, and commitment to serve have prepared me for this countywide leadership role. I am committed to listening, communicating, and providing solutions that will elevate our communities. My motto is Building Trust and Reconnecting with Communities!

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about and will advocate for the following but not limited to:
Public health, public safety, disability, mental health, veterans, environmental health, housing, partnering with colleges and universities, school districts, food banks, and animal safety.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

This office is unique because it serves as a leader on issues in regards to public health, community infrastructure, social equity, local government, environmental and economic health. The leader of this office should have a vision of sustainable communities. As a former city councilman , working with National League of Cities, Texas Municipal Leagues, a community advocate, and having an accounting background, I posses the skills and knowledge for this office.

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

Martin Luther King
Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that!

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

As a previous city councilman, I would recommend reviewing Arlington City Council meetings from May 2019 to June 2021 on the city's website.

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

Honesty, integrity, fairness, accessible to the community, effective team player, and competency are the most important characteristic s for elected officials.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

As a lifetime community leader, I possess many diverse qualities. I'm fair, transparent, open, inclusive, approachable, an advocate, accessible to the community, forward-thinking, enthusiastic, visionary, knowledgeable, and prepared.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

I believe the core responsible is to empower our communities, enhance our county services, and improve our residents quality of life.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy of a thriving and prosperous county. I am more focused on the legacy of Tarrant County.

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

The election of President Obama
46 years of age

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

United States Air Force
7 years and 9 months

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

"We Are a Winner" by Earth, Wind & Fire

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

This office has the power to appoint an individual to fill a vacancy on the county commissioners' court and adopts and approves the judicial and sheriff's budgets.
The position serve as the voice of the county.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Absolutely! Working in government is different from working in a corporation. A business is for profit. A government position is designed to promote prosperity for communities.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

City council experience, accounting background, and community service are beneficial for running this office.

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.

2021

Marvin Sutton did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Sutton's campaign website stated the following:

“	Protect and serve our communities Build effective relationships Enrich our citizens' lives Public Safety Police reform- Create an oversight committee to ensure transparency and accountability in policing Resources- Ensure that staffing and equipment are available to meet the growing demands for services Public health- Ensure we're fully prepared with the adequate resources to mitigate and contain the spread of infectious diseases Economic Growth Taxes- Keep property taxes low as we attract and incentivize commerical developments to balance the property tax burden between commercial and residential. Jobs- Create medical, research, and tech jobs through public and private partnerships. Innovation- Leverage our relationship with UTA to develop local business enterprises Infrastructure and Transportation Commuter Traffic- Work with Regional Transportation Council, local transit authorities, and state official to develop solutions that's a good fit for Arlington Connectivity- Create opportunities through grants and private partnerships for connectivity throughout the city for underserved communities Parks and Recreation- Create an environment for a 20-minute or less walk to a local trail or park	”
—Marvin Sutton's campaign website (2021)

2019

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Marvin Sutton did not complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

2017

See also: Ballotpedia's municipal government candidate survey

Sutton participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 survey of municipal government candidates. The following sections display his responses to the survey questions. When asked what his top priority would be if elected, the candidate made the following statement:

“	Address the increase in property crimes	”
—Marvin Sutton (April 17, 2017)

Ranking the issues

The candidate was asked to rank the following issues by importance in the city, with 1 being the most important and 12 being the least important: city services (trash, utilities, etc.), civil rights, crime reduction/prevention, environment, government transparency, homelessness, housing, K-12 education, public pensions/retirement funds, recreational opportunities, transportation, and unemployment. This table displays this candidate's rankings from most to least important.

Issue importance ranking
Candidate's ranking	Issue	Candidate's ranking	Issue
1	Crime reduction/prevention	7	Homelessness
2	City services (trash, utilities, etc.)	8	Civil rights
3	Transportation	9	Public pensions/retirement funds
4	Housing	10	Environment
5	Unemployment	11	Recreational opportunities
6	Government transparency	12	K-12 education

Nationwide municipal issues

The candidate was asked to answer questions from Ballotpedia regarding issues facing cities across America. The questions are in the left column and the candidate's responses are in the right column. Some questions provided multiple choices, which are noted after those questions.

Question	Response
Is it important for the city’s budget to be balanced?Answer options: Not important; Not important, but required by state law; A little important; A little important, but required by state law; Important; Very important	Very important
Which level of government do you feel should set a minimum wage?Answer options: None, Local, State, Federal	Federal
What do you think is the best way to improve a city’s public safety? Candidates could write their own answer or choose from the following options: Increased economic opportunities, Increased police presence/activity, Harsher penalties for offenders, Public outreach/education programs	Increased police presence/activity
How do you think your city should emphasize economic development? Candidates could write their own answer or choose from the following options: Changing zoning restrictions, Create a more competitive business climate, Focusing on small business development, Instituting a citywide minimum wage, Recruiting new businesses to your city, Regulatory and licensing reforms, and tax reform	Create a more competitive business climate
What is the one thing you’re most proud of about your city?	Entertainment
What is the one thing you’d most like to change about your city?	Developing a comprehensive public transportation system

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	Arlington City Council District 3 2019-2021	Succeeded by -