The regular City Election shall be held on the first Saturday in November, or at such other time as is prescribed by state law, at which time officers shall be elected to fill those offices which become vacant that year. The City Council shall fix the hours and place for holding such elections. All candidates for the City Council shall file for one place and shall be elected to that place by obtaining greater than 50% of the votes cast. Places 1, 3, and 5 shall be up for election and filled in the same year. The Mayor’s office and places 2, 4 and 6 shall be up for election and filled in the same year.
(Amended at election of May 4, 2002; Amended by Ordinance 728-02 at an election held on May 4, 2002; Amended by Res. R-27-18 at an election held on November 6, 2018, prop. A)
The Council shall make all regulations considered to be necessary or desirable which are not inconsistent with this Charter or the laws of the State of Texas, for the conduct of municipal elections, or for the prevention of fraud, and shall make provisions for recount of the ballots in case of doubt or fraud. The Council will appoint election officials who will conduct the municipal elections consistent with this Charter, regulations made by the Council and the laws of the State of Texas. The Council shall provide for the compensation of all election officials in City Elections and for all other expenses of holding such elections.
Any qualified person who desires to become a candidate for election to the office of Mayor or City Council Member shall file with the City Secretary, not less than forty-five (45) days prior to the election, an application on the form provided by the City Secretary, which form shall be in accordance with State law.
(Amended by Ordinance 728-02 at an election held on May 4, 2002)
The official ballot shall be drawn up by the City Secretary and approved by the City Attorney and will contain the names of all candidates for office, except those who may have been withdrawn, deceased or become ineligible. The ballot shall have the designation of the particular office (Mayor or Councilmember) and under the appropriate designation shall appear the applicable place numbers. Names will be placed under each place without party designation and position will be determined by drawing conducted by the City Secretary.
The returns of every municipal election shall be delivered forthwith by the election judges to the Mayor. The Council shall canvass the returns, investigate the qualifications of the candidates and declare the official results of the election in the manner and within the time provided by law and deliver the votes to the City Secretary. Returns of every municipal election shall be recorded in the minutes of the Council. The candidate for Mayor who receives the majority of ballot votes, by qualified voters at the election, shall be declared elected. The candidates for election to the places of Councilmembers, who receive the majority of ballot votes, for each place cast by qualified voters voting at the election shall be declared elected. The results of said election shall be posted in the City Hall as soon as they are declared official.
The City Council shall be the judge of the election and qualifications of its own members, but the decision of the Council in any case shall be subject to review by the Courts.
In the event any candidate for any of said officers fails to receive greater than fifty percent (50%) of all votes cast for all the candidates for such office at such election, the Council shall on the first day following completion of the official counting of the ballots cast at said first election, issue a call for a second election to be held in the City within thirty (30) days, at which said second election the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes for any such office in the first election at which no one was elected at the first election by receiving greater than fifty percent (50%) of all votes cast for all candidates for such election, shall again be voted for. In the event of a tie between two candidates for any office at said second election, they shall cast lots to determine who shall be elected to such office.
(Amended at election of May 4, 2002)
The Council may, by ordinance or resolution, call such special election as are authorized by the state law and this Charter, fix the time and place of holding same, and provide all means for holding such special elections, provided that every special election shall be called and held as nearly as practicable according to the provisions of the general election laws of the State of Texas.