a)
Schedule.
The regular City Election will be held annually on the first
Saturday in May, or as otherwise provided by state law. Elections
for candidates who are unopposed may be canceled in accordance with
the provisions of applicable state law. The City Council shall be
responsible to specify places for holding such election.
b)
Special
Elections.
The City Council may, by ordinance or resolution,
order a special election under conditions specified elsewhere in this
Charter, for initiative or referendum of ordinances, bond issues,
Charter amendments, recall of the Mayor or City Council members or
other purposes deemed appropriate by City Council. The City Council
will fix the time and place for holding such special elections, and
provide all means for holding same.
c)
Voter
Eligibility or Voter Registration List.
A certified list
of voter registrants within the City, as prepared by the County Election
Administrator, shall be maintained on file in the office of the City
Secretary. If for a purpose relating only to a City election or to
candidates or issues involved in such election, any organization,
group or person requests a list of qualified voters of the City, permission
to copy the current list shall be granted by the City Secretary.
d)
Conduct
and Regulation of Elections.
All City elections shall
be governed by the Constitution of the state of Texas, general laws
of the state, this Charter, and ordinances of the City, in the order
named. Municipal elections shall be conducted by the election officials
appointed or approved by the City Council. Sample ballots identical
to the voting machine format for the specific election shall be posted
in the voting place(s) for purpose of voter orientation.
(Amended May 6, 2017; Amended May 1, 2021)
a)
Eligibility
to File.
Each candidate for an elective City office shall
meet the following qualifications:
b)
Additional
restrictions.
In addition to the foregoing qualifications,
the following restrictions shall apply:
1)
An incumbent
seeking reelection must file for the same position number presently
serving unless filing for the office of Mayor.
2)
No candidate
may file for more than one office or position number per election.
3)
No employee
of the City shall continue in such position after filing for an elective
office of the City.
4)
No candidate
shall be placed on the ballot unless his or her application is accompanied
by either (1) a filing fee of fifty dollars ($50.00), or (2) a petition
signed by qualified voters residing in the City equal in number to
at least the greater of: (a) twenty-five, or (b) one-half of one percent
of the total votes received by all candidates for mayor in the most
recent mayoral regular election. The signed petition shall be filed
with the City Secretary, together with the candidate’s sworn
application. Each signer next to his or her signature shall indicate
the signer’s date of birth, date of signing, the signer’s
printed name, and the street address of his or her place of residence,
including the county of residence.
(Amended May 6, 2017; Amended May 1, 2021)
a)
Names
on Ballot.
The name of each candidate nominated for office,
except those who have withdrawn, died or become ineligible, shall
be printed on the official ballots without party designation or symbol,
and in the form designated by the candidate. If two or more candidates
have the same surname or surnames so similar as to be likely to cause
confusion, their residence addresses shall be printed with their names
on the ballot.
b)
Order
of Listing.
The order on the ballot of the names of the
candidates shall be determined by lot in a drawing to be held under
the supervision of the City Secretary.
c)
Early
Voting Ballots.
Procedures for early voting shall be
consistent with applicable state law.
d)
Ballots
for Ordinances, Bond Issues, and Charter Amendments.
An ordinance, bond issue or Charter amendment, to be voted on by
qualified voters of the City shall be presented for voting by ballot
title. The ballot title of a measure may differ from its legal title
and shall be a clear, concise statement, approved by majority of the
entire City Council describing the substance of the measure without
argument or prejudice. Below the ballot title shall appear the following
question: “Shall the above described (ordinance) (bond issue)
(Amendment) be adopted?” Immediately below or to the left of
such question shall appear, in the following order, the words “Yes”
and “No” each with a box in which the voter may cast his
or her vote by marking a cross (X).
e)
Write-In
Votes.
Procedures for write-in votes shall be consistent
with applicable state law.
(Amended May 6, 2017)
The City Council shall, at a special meeting called for that
purpose or at its next regular meeting, canvass the returns from any
municipal election and declare the results of said election to be
official. The returns of every municipal election shall be recorded
in the minutes of the City Council, by totals for each candidate,
or, for or against each issue submitted.
A majority vote for an elective office is that number of votes
which is greater than one-half of the total number of valid ballots
cast for the office concerned. Any candidate for elective office who
receives a majority vote shall be declared elected. If none of the
candidates for an elective position receives a majority vote, none
of such candidates shall be elected.
In the event no candidate for an elective office receives a
majority of the votes cast for that position in the regular or special
election or there is a tie for first place, a run-off election shall
be held between the two (2) candidates who received the greater number
of votes. Such run-off election shall be held in accordance with applicable
state law.
(Amended May 6, 2017)
