Council Vacancy to be Filled by Election
The vacancy in the San Angelo City Council’s District 1 seat will be filled during a special election May 6 to be held at the same time as a previously scheduled election to fill four other seats.
City officials this morning discovered a provision in the Texas Constitution that requires vacancies on a city’s governing body to be filled by a special election if the unexpired term is more than 12 months. The provision expressly forbids such vacancies from being filled by appointment.
While the City of San Angelo’s charter, which is akin to its constitution, allows for filling vacancies by appointment if the term is longer than a year, the state constitution takes precedence.
District 1 City Councilman Bill Richardson submitted a written resignation on Saturday to Mayor Dwain Morrison. The City Council will consider accepting the resignation at a specially called meeting at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at City Hall. The Council will consider calling a special election to fill the seat when it meets at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 7, at the McNease Convention Center.
The term in the District 1 seat expires in May 2019.
City Clerk Bryan Kendrick, the City’s chief elections officer, said there remains enough time to call the special election to be held in conjunction with the May 6 City Council election. That election will fill the mayor’s post and the District 2, 4 and 6 seats for the next four years.