HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance No. 2014-06 (Title: Ordering a City Election to be held on May 10,2014)
ORDINANCE NO. 2014-06
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
FRIENDSWOOD CALLING FOR THE HOLDING OF A
GENERAL ELECTION ON MAY 10, 2014, FOR THE
PURPOSE OF ELECTING TWO (2) COUNCILMEMBERS,
(POSITION NUMBERS 2 AND 5); ORDERING A RUNOFF
ELECTION ON JUNE 14, 2014, IF NECESSARY; AND
MAILING OTHER PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE
SUBJECT.
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WHEREAS, in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, on the 10th day of May,
2014, a General Election shall be held to elect two (2) Councilmembers (Position Numbers 2 and
5); and
WHEREAS, the Friendswood City Council wishes to proceed with the ordering of such
election and the City Council has determined that holding such election is in the public interest;
and
WHEREAS,the laws of the State of Texas further provide that the Election Code (Code)
of the State of Texas is applicable to all municipal elections and in order to comply with said
Code, an ordinance should be passed establishing the procedures to be followed and in
designating the voting place(s)for the May 10, 2014, election;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD, STATE OF TEXAS:
Section 1. General Election; Officers. In accordance with the general laws and
Constitution of the State of Texas, a General Municipal Election is hereby called and ordered for the
second Saturday in May 2014, the same being the 10t" day of said month, at which election all
qualified voters of the City may vote for the purpose of electing the following officials of the City:
Councilmember,Position No. 2
Couneihnember,Position No. 5
Section 2. Placement on Official Ballot. No person's name shall be placed upon the
official ballot as a candidate for any of the above-mentioned Council positions unless such
persons have filed his or her sworn application, as provided by Section 141.031 of the TEXAS
ELECTION CODE, with the City Secretary of the City at the City Hall, located at 910 South
Friendswood Drive, Friendswood, Texas 77546, not later than five o'clock (5:00) p.m. on the
seventy-first (71") day before the date of such election, such date being February 28, 2014. The
City Secretary shall note on the face of each such application the date and time of its filing. Such
application shall include the number of the position the candidate is seeking.
Section 3. Order on Ballot. The order in which the names of the candidates are to
be printed on the ballot in said General Election shall be determined by a drawing by the City
Secretary, as provided by Section 52.094 of the TEXAS ELECTION CODE. The City Secretary
shall post a notice in her office, at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the date on which the
drawing is to be held, of the time and place of the drawing, and shall also give personal notice to
any candidate who makes written request for such notice and furnishes to the City Secretary a
self-addressed, stamped envelope. Each candidate involved in the drawing, or a designated
representative, shall have a right to be present and observe the drawing.
Section 4. Determination of Ballots. The candidates receiving a majority of votes
for the position to be filled at such election shall be declared elected.
Section 5. Runoff Election. If no candidate for any office shall receive a majority of all
votes cast for such office at such election as required by the City's home-rule Charter, a runoff
election between the two (2) highest vote-getters for such office shall be held on Saturday, June
14, 2014, (the"Runoff Election"), as permitted by the TExAS ELECTION CODE.
Ord 2014-06 2
Section 6. Joint Election. Said election shall be a joint election conducted in
accordance with the "Joint Election Agreement' by and between the City and the Galveston
County Consolidated Drainage District(GCCDD), approved on February 03, 2014.
The joint election provided for in this Resolution shall be held at Friendswood City Hall,
which shall be the polling place designated by the City Council for GCCDD elections within the
relevant precincts as established by Galveston County Commissioners Court:
The City will provide for staffing for the conduct of Early Voting to be held at City Hall
and provide for the appointment of all election workers for Election Day. GCCDD will provide
a representative at the Central Counting Station on election night to receive the unofficial
tabulation of said election.
Section 7. Polling Places; Election Officials. Said election shall be held in each of
the election precincts within said City and the polling place and election officials for each of said
precincts shall be as follows:
Election Precinct Nos. 456,457,
460,461,462,483,484,
and 485: Boundaries the same as those portions of Galveston County
Election Precinct Nos. 456, 457,460, 461, 462, 483,484,and
485,lying within the City limits of the City of Friendswood.
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Election Precinct Nos. 378, 474,
and Part of Election Precinct
No. 655: Boundaries the same as those portions of Harris County
Election Precinct Nos. 378, 474, and part of Election Precinct
No. 655, lying within the City limits of the City of
Friendswood.
GCCDD Precincts:
Election Precinct Nos.456, 457,
460,461,462,483' 484,485,220,
401,402 and 482: Boundaries the same as those portions of Galveston County
Election Precinct Nos. 456, 457, 460, 461, 462, 483, 484,
485, 220, 401, 402 and 482, lying within the boundaries of
the Galveston County Consolidated Drainage District.
Polling Place:lace: Friendswood City Hall
910 South Friendswood Drive
Friendswood, Texas 77546
Election Officers: Karen Van Auken,Presiding Judge
Lua n Erickson,Alternate Judge
Central Counting Station:
Presiding Judge: Sharon Parks
Manager: Melinda Welsh
Tabulation Supervisor: Michelle Perez
Clerks: Susan Ballard
Heather Van Dine
Karri Castellow
The City Secretary is hereby authorized and directed to provide a copy of this Ordinance
to each judge as written notice of his or her appointment, as required by Section 32.009 of the
TEXAS ELECTION CODE.
The Presiding Judge shall have the authority to appoint qualified voters as clerks to assist
in the holding of said election, but in no event shall the Presiding Judge appoint less than two (2)
clerks.
Section 8. Early Voting Clerks. Mary DeLay, Linda Thornton, and Lynette Burns
are hereby appointed clerks for early voting; appointments by the City Secretary of deputy clerics
Ord 2014-06 4
for early voting shall be in accordance with Section 83.031 et seg., of the TEXAS ELECTION CODE
and the
City Hall
910 South Friendswood Drive
Friendswood, Texas 77546
is hereby designated as the place for early voting for said election. Other than official state or
federal holidays, and except as provided below, said clerks shall keep said office open for early
voting, beginning on the twelfth (12t ) and continuing through the fourth (4th) day preceding the
date of said election, for at least twelve (12) hours, that is, from seven o'clock (7:00) a.m. until
seven o'clock (7:00) p.m., on Monday, April 28, 2014, for at least ten (10) hours, that is, from
seven-thirty o'clock (7:30) a.m. until five-thirty o'clock (5:30) p.m., on Tuesday through
Thursday, April 29 through May 01, 2014, for at least nine (9) hours, that is from eight o'clock
(8:00) a.m, until five o'clock (5:00) p.m., on Friday May 02, 2014, on Monday, May 05, 2014,
for at least ten (10) hours, that is, from seven-thirty o'clock (7:30) a.m, until five-thirty o'clock
(5:30) p.m., and on Tuesday, May 06, 2014, for at least twelve (12) hours, that is, from seven
o'clock (7:00) a.m. until seven o'clock (7:00) p.m. Provided, however, said clerks shall keep
said office open for extended early voting on Saturday, May 03, 2014, for at least nine (9) hours,
that is from eight o'clock (8:00) a.m. until five o'clock (5:00) p.m. Said clerks shall not permit
anyone to vote early by personal appearance on any day that is not a regular working day for the
clerk's office, and under no circumstances shall they permit anyone to vote early by personal
appearance at any time when such office is not open to the public. The above-described place
for early voting is also the early voting clerk's mailing address to which ballot applications and
ballots voted by mail may be sent. The early voting clerk, in accordance with the provisions of
the TEXAS ELECTION CODE, shall maintain a roster listing each person who votes early by
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personal appearance and each person to whom an early voting ballot to be voted by mail is sent.
The roster shall be maintained in a form approved by the Secretary of State.
Section 9. Appointment of Presiding Judge — Early Voting. Karen Van Auken is
hereby appointed as Presiding Judge of the Early Voting Ballot Board. In accordance with
Section 87.001 et seq., of the TEXAS ELECTION CODE, said presiding judge shall appoint at least
two (2) other members to said Board, and shall process early voting results in accordance with
said TEXAS ELECTION CODE.
Section 10. Governing Law. Said election shall be held in accordance with the
Constitution and laws of the State of Texas, and the City Charter and all duly qualified resident
electors of the City of Friendswood, Texas, shall be entitled to vote.
Section 11. Joint Election Agreement — Supplies. In accordance with the Joint
Election Agreement, the City Secretary is hereby authorized and directed to furnish all necessary
election supplies to conduct such election.
Section 12. Voting Equipment. Except as provided hereafter, the voting at such
election shall be by Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting machines. Early voting by
methods other than by personal appearance shall be by optical scan paper ballot. All
expenditures necessary for the conduct of said election and the purchase or rental of materials or
equipment therefore is hereby authorized.
Section 13. Notice. Notice of the election ordered hereby shall be given in accordance
with the provisions of the TEXAS ELECTION CODE and returns of such notice shall be made as
provided for in said Code. The Mayor shall issue all necessary orders and writs for such
election, and returns of same shall be made to the City Secretary immediately after the closing of
the polls.
Ord 2014-06 6
Section 14. Canvass of the May 10, 2014 Election. City Council, as the canvassing
authority of this election, shall canvass the returns at its scheduled meeting to be held on May 19,
2014, at 6:30 p.m. At the completion of the canvass,the Mayor shall deliver the returns and tally
lists used in the canvass to the City Secretary; and, the City Secretary shall preserve them for a
period in accordance with law.
Section 15. Notice. It is further found and determined that in accordance with the order
of this governing body the City Secretary posted written notice of the date, place and subject of
this meeting on the bulletin board located in the City Hall, a place convenient and readily
accessible to the general public, and such notice having been so posted and remaining posted
continuously for at least seventy-two (72) hours preceding the scheduled time of such meeting.
Section 16. Said election shall be held in accordance with the TExAS ELECTION CODE
and the Federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, and all related laws.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED ON FIRST AND FINAL READING AS
PROVIDED FOR BY SECTION 3.11(B) OF THE CITY CHARTER OF FRIENDSWOOD
this 3 r day of February, 2014.
Kevin M. Igo nd
Mayor
ATTEST: ...
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Melinda Welsh, TRMC
City Secretary
co
es
OF
Ord 2014-06 7