All City elections shall be governed, except as otherwise provided by this Charter, by the laws of the State of Texas governing general and municipal elections, so far as same may be applicable thereto; and in the event there should be any failure of the general laws or this Charter to provide for some feature of the City elections, then the City Council shall have the power to provide for such deficiency. No informalities in conducting a City election shall invalidate the same, if it be conducted fairly and in substantial compliance with the general laws, where applicable, and the Charter and ordinances of the City.
The election judges and other necessary election officials for conducting all such elections shall be appointed by the Council, and they shall be qualified voters of the election precinct in which they are to serve. The election judges shall certify their count of the ballots, attaching the tally sheet to their certificate and deposit it with the City Clerk in a sealed envelope.
(Amended 11/7/2023)
Editor's note–Former section 3, pertaining to general elections held, was repealed 11/7/2023.
The candidate for Mayor receiving the majority of the votes cast by the qualified voters of the City for Mayor shall be declared elected. The two (2) candidates for Councilmember-at-large receiving the greatest number of votes cast by the qualified voters of the City for Councilmember-at-large shall be declared elected; it being the intention of this section that the Councilmembers-at-large shall be elected by a plurality rather than a majority of the votes. Each qualified voter shall be entitled, but shall not be required, to vote for two (2) candidates for Councilmember-at-large. The candidate for “ward Councilmember” receiving the majority of votes cast by the qualified voters residing in the ward shall be declared elected; it being the intention of this section that each ward as it may hereafter exist shall have equal representation on the Council, but that the four (4) ward Councilmembers shall be voted upon only by the qualified voters residing in each of the four (4) wards established by the City Council as provided in Article I of this Charter. If no candidate for Mayor or for ward Councilmember receives a majority of all votes cast in the general election for the position for which he is a candidate, a runoff election for such position shall be called to be held in accordance with the Texas Election Code, said runoff election to be held between the two (2) candidates who received the greatest number of votes cast in the general election for such position. In the event of a tie vote between two (2) or more candidates with the second greatest number of votes in the general election, or in the event of a tie vote between the two (2) candidates in a runoff election, the respective candidates so tied shall cast lots to determine who shall be, in the first instance, the successful candidate for the runoff election, or, in the second instance, the duly elected officer. In the event of a tie vote between three (3) or more candidates with the greatest number of votes or in the event of a tie vote between two (2) or more of the candidates with the second greatest number of votes in the general election for the position of Councilmember-at-large, the respective candidates so tied shall cast lots to determine who shall be, in the first instance, the duly elected officers or who shall be, in the second instance, the duly elected officer. All officers duly elected following a general or runoff election, if one is required, shall take office in compliance with the Texas Election Code.
(Amended 8/13/1983; 5/1/2021)
Editor's note–Former section 5, pertaining to elections and nominations, was repealed 11/7/2023.
Editor's note–Former section 6, pertaining to ballots, was repealed 11/7/2023.