Filing for Mayor, Council elections closes Monday

By LPR Staff

Editor/POST-REGISTER

Potential candidates for the Lockhart City Council’s upcoming Nov. 7 election are reminded that filing closes at 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 21 for a place on the ballot.

The Mayor’s seat, along with Single-Member Districts Three and Four are slated on the November ballot, along with nine amendments

to the City Charter.

At press time, incumbent Mayor Lew White was the only resident to file for the Mayor’s position, while Jeffry Michelson will seek reelection to District Four. Political newcomer Kara Bliss McGregor has filed for election to District Three, the seat currently occupied by Benny Hilburn.

According to City Secretary Connie Constancio, the election will still take place, even if each of the three candidates remain unopposed, because the charter amendments are still on the ballot. The election could only be cancelled if no other special election had been called.

The nine amendments are stated as follows:

City of Lockhart Proposition A

The amendment of Section 3.01 of the City Charter to provide for the mayor and councilmembers, after elections, to take office as prescribed by the Texas Election Code.

City of Lockhart Proposition B

The amendment of Section of 3.02 of the City Charter to clarify and update the qualifications of city council members including residency requirements, and voter and age requirements, and disqualifications including absences, incapacity, and felony convictions.

City of Lockhart Proposition C

The amendment of Section 3.03 of the City Charter to provide for the city council to be the final judge of elections and the qualifications of its members and any other elected city officials.

City of Lockhart Proposition D

The amendment of Section 4.01 of the City Charter to require a majority vote of the entire city council to appoint the city manager, and to provide for the city council to appoint the city manager for a definite or indefinite term.

City of Lockhart Proposition E

The amendment of Section 4.07 of the City Charter to provide that the city manager shall be heard prior to any changes to city offices and departments by the city council.

City of Lockhart Proposition F

The amendment of Section 5.04 of the City Charter to provide for the city secretary to draw candidates’ names for offices to determine the order of names on official ballots, and to provide for printing of ballots and early voting as prescribed by the Texas Election Code.

City of Lockhart Proposition G

The amendment of Section 9.02 of the City Charter to allow the city manager to submit proposed city budgets between 60 and 120 days prior to the beginning of each fiscal year.

City of Lockhart Proposition H

The amendment of Section 9.06 of the City Charter to remove the requirement that the city council fix the time and place of a public hearing on the budget at the meeting at which the budget is submitted.

City of Lockhart Proposition I

The amendment of Section 9.14 of the City Charter to remove the annual 3 percent budget contingency requirement and provide for the city council to set the emergency fund balance to be used in case of emergencies creating a grave public necessity.

In the weeks prior to the election, the Post-Register will provide analysis of each of the proposed amendment with focus on how their passage would change the language of the charter. Check next week’s Post-Register for the final list of candidates on the ballot.