LEWISVILLE, TEXAS — The Denton County Democratic Party (DCDP) is excited to endorse two candidates voters can select on the General Election Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020.
Chair Dr. Angie Cadena said, “The DCDP is happy to endorse these candidates. We appreciate all who have the courage and dedication to step up to the plate and run for office.”
Freya Odinsdottir of Denton is a write-in candidate for Denton County Sheriff.
A six-year Denton County resident, Odinsdottir is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, a former detention officer (2015-2019) and a martial arts instructor.
“I entered law enforcement because I wanted to make a difference and protect my community,” Odinsdottir stated. “The systems of oppression are so deeply rooted that unless you play into them, you hit a glass ceiling very quickly. I’ve been a part of the Black Lives Matter movement and I have some good ideas on how to fix the inherent problems.”
Odinsdottir believes America’s law enforcement has forgotten its purpose is to protect everyone rather than to serve as a tool of economic or racial oppression. “Modern policing began with the idea that the power of law enforcement must come from the trust, respect and affection of the public,” she said.
As sheriff, Odinsdottir would spearhead the installation of proactive, anti-racist officer training to prevent racial profiling. She would work with other elected officials to decriminalize drug addiction and implement new programs aimed at helping and rehabilitating people when they need it most. Odinsdottir favors decriminalizing homelessness, since jail sentences cannot rehabilitate poverty.
Odinsdottir would decriminalize legitimate sex work so more energy and resources could be invested in preventing human/sex trafficking. She would enforce state mandates that protect all lives during our nation’s ongoing health crisis, including and especially those persons entrusted to the county’s care in correctional facilities.
A mother and transgender woman, Odinsdottir wants to create an oversight committee that “ideally represents groups of individuals who most often experience inappropriate behavior from officers and deputies, such as the disabled or the LGBTQIA+.”
Hava Johnston is a candidate for Frisco City Council.
A third-generation North Texan, Hava was raised in Plano. She graduated from Plano Senior High and studied business management at Collin College before managing her family’s wholesale ladies’ apparel business.
As a local realtor and owner/operator of The Johnston Home Team at Texas Urban Living, Johnston knows the challenges small business owners face and real estate market trends that could hinder Frisco’s future.
Hava has a long history of community organizing, including The Collin and Denton County Blanket Drive begun in 2012 and a donation coalition for Hurricane Harvey victims in 2017. Plano Magazine named her 2019 Girl Boss and highlighted the creation of the Collin Creek Mall: an era gone by Facebook group, which brought together more than 10,000 current and former residents and sparked an interest in revitalizing the area. Recently, she helped organize a peaceful, well-attended march in Frisco in support of Black lives.
Johnston serves as the Democratic Precinct Chair for Denton County’s Precinct 1029. She decided to run for Frisco City Council because she truly cares about Frisco and its residents and recognizes a need for a different voice on the council to ensure the diverse population is welcomed into and engaged in the city. Responding to growth with smart, inclusive planning and forming broad, diverse coalitions are among Hava’s top priorities.
Hava and her husband Sean of 26 years have four children. The family settled in Frisco seven years ago and the children attended school in the district.