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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 15 - Calling ElectionITEM # l6' MEMO TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: BRUNO RUMBELOW, CITY MANAGER MEETING DATE: JANUARY 15, 2013 SUBJECT: CALLING 2013 CITY OFFICERS ELECTION RECOMMENDATION: City Secretary recommends the City Council adopt a resolution calling the 2013 City Officers Election for Saturday, May 11, 2013 in compliance with the Texas Election Code, designating the polling place, and, if necessary, a run -off election to be held on June 15, 2013. FUNDING SOURCE: Funding for expenditures is currently available in the City Secretary's Election Account 100- 44540- 103 -1. BACKGROUND: The first day for candidates to file for a place on the May ballot is Wednesday, January 30, 2013 and the last day to file is Friday, March 1- State law provides that write -in candidates' last day to file is Friday, March 1. Those positions to be placed on the ballot are City Council Place 3 (Mike Lease) and City Council Place 4 (Darlene Freed). Staff recommends the Grapevine Community Activities Center, 1175 Municipal Way, be the election day site, as well as the early voting by personal appearance site. Early voting and election day voting will be conducted in compliance with the Texas Election Code relative to the 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA). The Act provides voting privacy for individuals with disabilities by utilizing the Direct Recording Electronic System (DRE). In order to comply with the HAVA Act, a contract with Tarrant County Elections Administration will be presented at a later date for the utilization of the DRE voting machines and for the County to conduct the election. JCBIab January 4, 2013 (11:53AM) Mk, RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS, PROVIDING FOR THE 2013 CITY OFFICER ELECTION TO BE HELD ON MAY 11, 2013; DETERMINING THE POLLING PLACE; PROVIDING SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CONDUCTING OF SAID ELECTION; REPEALING INCONSISTENT RESOLUTIONS AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE WHEREAS, Section 41.001 of the Texas Election Code provides for the holding of general city elections on the second Saturday in May; and WHEREAS, the City desires to conform its practices with State law; and WHEREAS, the Charter of the City of Grapevine, Texas provides that the Election Code of the State of Texas is applicable to the City Council and Run -Off Elections, and in order to comply with said code an order should be passed establishing the procedure to be followed in said election, and designating the voting place for said election; and WHEREAS, all statutory and constitutional requirements for the passage of this resolution have been met, including but not limited to the Texas Open Meetings Act. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS: Section 1. That all matters stated hereinabove are found to be true and correct and are incorporated herein by reference as if copied in their entirety. Section 2. That the Regular City Officer Election for the City of Grapevine is hereby called for Saturday, May 11, 2013, for the following: COUNCIL, PLACE 3 COUNCIL, PLACE 4 Section 3. All eligible City of Grapevine voters shall cast their ballots at the Grapevine Community Activities Center, 1175 Municipal Way, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on election day. Section 4. The first day to file an application for a place on the ballot is January 30, 2013. All candidates for election for Council, Place 3 and Council, Place 4, must file their names with the City Secretary of the City of Grapevine, Texas, by 5:00 p.m. on March 1, 2013. That all of the said applications shall be on a form approved by the City Secretary and shall be in compliance with the City Charter and the State Election Code. Section 5. That the City Secretary shall post the names of all candidates who have filed their applications in accordance with the terms and provisions of this order. Section 6, The Election shall be conducted under the jurisdiction of the Tarrant County Elections Department (the "Elections Administrator") pursuant to an Election Services Contract (the "Contract ") by and among the Tarrant County Elections Department, the City and other participating entities, if any, described in the Contract. The Mayor or the Mayor's designee is authorized to amend or supplement the Contract to the extent required for the Election to be conducted in an efficient and legal manner as determined by the Elections Administrator. Section 7. All early voting shall be conducted pursuant to and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the State of Texas Election Code. The Elections Administrator is hereby appointed as Early Voting Clerk for the Election and shall determine the early voting place and hours, however, such locations may be changed if so directed by the Elections Administrator without further action of the City Council. The Elections Administrator is hereby authorized and directed to make such changes in locations as may be necessary for the proper conduct of the Election. The Elections Administrator and /or Early Voting Clerk are hereby authorized to appoint the members of the Early Voting Ballot Board and the presiding judge and alternate judge in accordance with the requirements of the Code. Section 8. The Elections Administrator shall provide and furnish all necessary supplies and personnel to conduct said election. Said supplies and personnel shall be furnished at the expense of the General Fund of the City of Grapevine, Texas. Early voting will be conducted on Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) System and election day voting will be on the Digital Scan System accompanied by DRE for disabled and provisional voters. Section 9. The City Secretary is hereby instructed to publish notice of said election once in a newspaper of general circulation not more than thirty (30) days before the election and not less than ten (10) days before the election. Section 10. This resolution shall repeal every prior resolution in conflict herewith, but only insofar as the portion of such resolution shall be in conflict, and as to all other sections of resolutions not in direct conflict herewith, this resolution shall be and is hereby made cumulative. Section 11. The Mayor shall issue all necessary orders, writs and notices for said election and the returns of said election shall be made to the City Secretary after the close of the polls and the completion of the counting of the ballots. Section 12. That a run -off election, if necessary, shall be called for June 15, 2013. RES. NO. 2 Section 13. That this resolution shall be effective from and after the date of its passage. PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS on this the 15th day of January, 2013. APPROVED: ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM: RES. NO. 3