The regular Town Election shall be held annually on the May uniform election date, unless specifically prescribed otherwise by State law. The Council shall fix the hours and place(s) for holding elections.
The Council may, by ordinance or resolution, call special elections as are authorized by State law, this Charter, or for any other reason the Council deems necessary, fix the time and place of holding same, and provide all means for holding special elections in accordance with State law.
It is the responsibility of the Council to publicize all municipal elections in accordance with the Texas Election Code, as amended. Sample ballots shall be posted outside the Town offices and shall be published on the Town’s website not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the election.
All general and special elections shall be held in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas regulating the holding of municipal elections and in accordance with this Charter and ordinances or resolutions adopted by the Council for the conduct of elections. The Council shall appoint the election judges and shall provide for the compensation of all election officials in the Town elections and for all other expenses in holding the elections.
In the event there is a conflict between any of the provisions of this Charter and the Texas Election Code or an omission of any elements or provisions necessary for the conduct of an election, then those provisions of the Texas Election Code then existing shall prevail.
All duly qualified electors under the laws of the State of Texas, who are residents of the Town, shall be qualified to vote in any Town election.
(a)
Each candidate for an elective office shall meet the qualifications set forth in Section 3.04 and the Texas Election Code, as amended.
(b)
Any person so qualified who desires to become a candidate for election shall file an application with the Town Secretary, in accordance with the Texas Election Code. Such an application shall be in compliance with the Texas Election Code.
(a)
No person elected to the Council shall, during the term for which the person is elected to the Council, hold or be appointed to any compensated office, position, or employment in the service of the Town. This Section shall not prohibit a Council member from serving on the board of an economic development corporation, crime control and prevention district, or other instrumentality of the Town.
(b)
If any appointive officer or employee of the Town shall become a candidate for election to hold an elective Town office the officer or employee shall, immediately upon becoming a candidate, forfeit the office held with the Town.
(a)
Candidate Names on Ballots:
The names of all candidates who have filed for office shall be printed on the official ballots without party designation. The order on the ballot of the names of the candidates for each office or position shall be determined by lot in a drawing to be held under the supervision of the Town Secretary, or as otherwise required by State law.
(b)
Absentee Balloting:
Voting shall be permitted in accordance the Texas Election Code.
(c)
Write-in Votes:
Write-in voting shall be permitted in accordance with the Texas Election Code.
(a)
Canvassing shall be conducted in accordance with state law. Returns of every municipal election shall be delivered forthwith by the election judges to the Town Secretary with a copy of the returns being sent to the Mayor. The Council shall canvass the returns, investigate the qualifications of the candidates and declare the official results of the election in accordance with the Texas Election Code. The results of every municipal election shall be recorded in the minutes of the Council.
(b)
Majority Rules: The candidate for each place on the ballot who shall have received the majority of the votes cast for such place shall be declared elected. In the event that no candidate for a designated office receives a majority of the votes cast for that place in the regular or special election, a runoff election shall be held between the candidates who received the two (2) greatest number of votes for such place. Such a runoff election shall be held in accordance with State law.
The Town Secretary, with the concurrence of the Council, shall promptly notify all persons elected to office. A candidate who is elected in a regular, special or run-off Town election shall, after taking the oath of office as prescribed herein, take office, and enter upon his or her duties at the next Council meeting after the date of the election.
Every officer of the Town, whether elected or appointed, shall take the oaths of office prescribed by the Texas Constitution prior to assuming office.