From
Cathy DiMaggio
Title
Ordinance canceling a portion of the May 7, 2016 city election and declaring unopposed candidates elected
Presenter
Cathy DiMaggio, City Secretary
Recommended Action
Approve
Analysis
Section 2.052 of the Texas Election Code requires that the official responsible for having the official ballot prepare prepare a Certification of Unopposed Candidates and present it to the governing body of the political subdivision once the filing deadline for a place on the ballot (February 19, 2016) and the write-in deadline (February 23, 2016) has passed. That certification was provided to the Mayor and Council Members on February 24, 2016. Subchapter C. Election of Unopposed Candidate, Section 2.051(b) authorizes the city to cancel the portion of the election for those unopposed candidates. The following offices were unopposed: Mayor - Ron Jensen; Council Member, District 2 - Jim Swafford. The office of Council Member, District 4, is the only opposed office and the May 7, 2016 General Election will be held in that district only between candidates Richard Fregoe and John Lopez.
Financial Consideration
The election will be held in Council Member District 4 only and will reduce considerably the cost of the May 7, 2016 election.
Body
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS, CERTIFYING THAT RON JENSEN, CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR, AND JIM SWAFFORD, CANDIDATE FOR COUNCIL MEMBER, DISTRICT 2, ARE UNOPPOSED IN THE MAY 7, 2016 CITY ELECTION AND ARE DECLARED ELECTED AND THE PORTIONS OF THE ELECTION RELATED TO THESE TWO OFFICES ARE DECLARED CANCELLED. THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER, DISTRICT 4 WHICH IS OPPOSED SHALL REMAIN ON THE BALLOT FOR MAY 7, 2016
WHEREAS, Subchapter C, "Election of Unopposed Candidate," Section 2.052 "Certification of Unopposed Status," requires that certification of unopposed candidates shall be delivered to the governing body of a political subdivision after the filing deadline and list of write-in candidates, and upon receipt of such certification, the city council may by ordinance declare each unopposed candidate elected to the office; and
WHEREAS, the City Secretary has certified that Ron Jensen, candidate for the office of Mayor, and Jim Swafford, candidate for the office of Council Member, District 2, are each unopposed in the May 7, 2016 General Election; and
WHEREAS, The Section 2.051(b) of the Texas Election Code authorizes the city to cancel the portion of the election within a single-member district if there are no opposed at large races within that election; and
WHEREAS, Section 2.051(b) of the Texas Election Code stipulates that the city shall conduct the election for those single-member districts with opposed candidates;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Pursuant to the Texas Election Code, Section 2.053 "Action on Certification," Ron Jensen, candidate for the office of Mayor, and Jim Swafford, candidate for the office of Council Member, District 2, are hereby declared elected to the Grand Prairie City Council for three-year terms.
SECTION 2. The office of Council Member, District Four, will remain on the General Election ballot for May 7, 2016 because there are opposing candidates (Richard Fregoe and John Lopez).
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS, March 1, 2016.
UNA ORDENANZA DE LA CIUDAD DE GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS, CERTIFICA QUE RON JENSEN, CANDIDATO A LA ALCALDÍA, Y JIM SWAFFORD, CANDIDATO AL CONSEJO, DISTRITO 2, SON CANDIDATOS ÚNICOS PARA LAS ELECCIONES EN LA CIUDAD CORRESPONDIENTES AL 7 DE MAYO DE 2016 Y SE DECLARAN ELECTOS, Y LAS PARTES DE LA ELECCIÓN INHERENTES A ESTOS DOS FUNCIONARIOS HAN SIDO CANCELADAS. EL FUNCIONARIO DEL CONSEJO, DISTRITO 4 EL CUAL SE OPUSO A ELLO PERMANECERÁ EN LA URNA PARA EL 7 DE MAYO DE 2016
EN TANTO QUE, el Subcapítulo C, “Elección de un Candidato Único”, Sección 2.052 “Certificación de un Candidato Único”, estipula que la certificación de candidatos únicos será asignada al ente gubernamental de una subdivisión política luego de la fecha límite de registro y se listarán los candidatos por escrito, y al recibir dicha certificación, el consejo municipal mediante ordenanza podrá declarar a cada candidato único como electo ante la oficina respectiva; y
EN TANTO QUE, la Secretaría del Consejo ha certificado que Ron Jensen, candidato a la alcaldía, y Jim Swafford, candidato al Consejo, Distrito 2, son candidatos únicos para las elecciones generales correspondientes al 7 de mayo de 2016; y
EN TANTO QUE, la Sección 2.051(b) del Código de Elecciones de Texas autoriza al municipio para cancelar la parte de la elección dentro de un distrito con miembro único toda vez que no exista candidatos contrincantes en tales elecciones; y
EN TANTO QUE, la Sección 2.051(b) del Código de Elecciones de Texas estipula que el municipio llevará a cabo la elección para aquellos distritos con miembro único con candidatos contrincantes.
POR LO TANTO, EL CONSEJO MUNICIPAL DE LA CIUDAD DE GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS, ORDENA LO SIGUIENTE:
SECCIÓN 1. De conformidad con el Código de Elecciones de Texas, la Sección 2.053 “Acción de Certificación”, Ron Jensen, candidato a la alcaldía, y Jim Swafford, candidato para el consejo, Distrito 2, por medio de la presente se declaran electos ante el Honorable Consejo de la Ciudad de Grand Prairie por un período de 3 años.
SECCIÓN 2. El funcionario del consejo, distrito cuarto, permanecerá en la urna de las elecciones generales del 7 de mayo de 2016 ya que existen candidatos contrincantes (Richard Fregoe y John Lopez).
SANCIONADA Y APROBADA POR EL CONSEJO MUNICIPAL DE LA CIUDAD DE GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS, el 1 de marzo de 2016