ORDINANCE # 1726 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BELLVILLE, TEXAS, CALLING AND ORDERING THAT A GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION BE HIELD ON MAY 3, 2025, FOR TIE PURPOSE OF ELECTING A MAYOR AND (2) ALDERMEN. WHEREAS, the City of Bellville desires to hold a general election for the City on the uniform election date ofl May 3, 2025; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Bellville desires and intends to conduct elections in accordance with all relevant laws of the United States and the State ofTexas; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Bellville desires to enter into a Contract for Election Services with the Elections Official of Austin County, Texas, for the May 3, 2025 uniform election date; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Bellville desires to enter into a Joint Election Agreement with other certain local political subdivisions located in Austin County, Texas, for the May 3, 2025 uniform election date; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Bellville finds that entering into the Contract for Election Services with the. Elections Official of Austin County, Texas; and theJoint Election Agreement with other certain local political subdivisions located in Austin County, Texas, are both reasonable, necessary, and proper for the good government of the City of Bellville; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THIE CITY OF BELLVILLE, TEXAS: Section 1.1 Findings of Fact All of the above premises are hereby found to be true and correct legislative and factual findings ofthe City Council and are hereby approved and incorporated into the body ofthis ordinance as if copied in their entirety. Section 2. Election Called & Ordered A General Election (or "Election"): is hereby called and ordered to be held on May 3, 2025 for the purpose of electing a Mayor and two (2) Alderman for the City of Bellville, Texas. All qualified voters of the City may vote for the purpose of electing the following officials of the City: Mayor Alderman, Place # 2 Page 1 of 4 Ordinance Ordering General Election Alderman, Place # 4 Section 3. Candidate Applications A candidate's application for a place on ballot for the General Election must be filed by 5:00 p.m. on February 14, 2025. The earliest for a candidate to file an application for a place on the ballot in person will be January 15, 2025 at 8:00 AM. Candidate applications shall be filed with the City Secretary ofthis City at the City ofBellville Municipal Building located at 30 South Holland, Bellville, Texas 77418. Such application shall be on a form prescribed by Texas Election Code $ 141.031, and shall include the office the candidate is seeking and the number of the place the candidate is seeking if applicable. Write-in candidates must submit their Declarations ofWrite-In Candidacy by 5:00 PM on February 18, 2025 to the same location above. The City Secretary shall note on the face of each such application the date and time ofits filing. Section 4. Election Agreements Pursuant to Chapter 31 of the Texas Election Code, the City Council orders that the Election be held under an Election Services Contract with the. Austin County Elections Official. The Contract for Election Services with the Elections Official of Austin County, Texas, is attached as Exhibit "A" and is incorporated herein for all purposes. The Mayor is authorized to execute the Contract for Election Services on behalf oft the City ofBellville. Pursuant to Chapter 271 ofthe Texas Election Code, the Council orders that this Election be conducted under the terms and conditions of a Joint Election Agreement with other political subdivisions holding an election on the same date. The Joint Election Agreement is attached as Exhibit "B" and is incorporated herein for all purposes. The Mayor is authorized to execute the Joint Election Agreement on behalf ofthe City of Bellville. The Election shall be conducted by election officers, in accordance with the Texas Election Code and the Constitution and laws ofthe State of'Texas and the United States of America. The. Austin County Elections Official is hereby authorized and directed to furnish all necessary election supplies to conduct such election. Applicable ballots and accessible voting systems, as defined and described in the Texas Election Code, shall be utilized for the Election. Section 5. Early Voting Early voting, both by personal appearance and by mail, will be conducted by the Austin County Elections Official who is designated and appointed as the Early Voting Clerk, in accordance with the Texas Election Code. The Elections Official of Austin County, Texas shall receive mail ballot applications on behalf of the City. All applications for mail ballots shall be sent to: Page 2 of 4 Ordinance Ordering General Election Kim Rinn, Election Official Austin County 804 East Wendt Street Bellville, Texas 77418 Tel: 979-865-8633 Fax: 979-865-0183 Email: krimn@austinoumtly.com Applications for Ballots by Mail must be received no later than the close ofbusiness on April 22, 2025. Federal Post Card Applications must be received no later than the close ofbusiness on April 22, 2025. Early voting by personal appearance shall be conducted at: Main Early Voting Location Austin County Annex, Room #4 800 Wendt Street Bellville, Texas 77418 Monday, April 22, 2025 through Friday, April 25, 2025 Monday, April 28, 2025 through Tuesday, April 29, 2025 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Section 6. Appointments of Judges & Clerks Appointments of the Election Day Presiding Judge, Alternate Presiding Judge, and central counting station judge, and Early Voting Ballot Board presidingjudge will be made by approval of the Austin County Elections Official subsequent to adoption of this Ordinance. Section 7. Notice of Election The City Secretary is hereby authorized and directed to prepare a form titled "Notice ofElection," the contents and form of which shall comply with the requirements of the Texas Election Code and other applicable law. The City Secretary is directed to publish the Notice of Election and any other required notice in the City's official newspaper and in accordance with all requirements of the Texas Election Code. Section 8. Severability Page 3 of 4 Ordinance Ordering General Election Should any sentence, paragraph, subdivision, clause, phrase, or section of this Ordinance be adjusted or held to be unconstitutional, illegal, or invalid, the same shall not affect the validity of this Ordinance in whole or any part or provision thereof, other than the part SO declared to be invalid, illegal or unconstitutional. Section 9. Repealer Thej provisions ofthis Ordinance shall be cumulative ofall other ordinances or parts ofordinances governing or regulating the same subject matter as that covered herein; provided, however, that all prior ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent or in conflict with any of the provisions oft this Ordinance are hereby expressly repealed to the extent that such inconsistency is apparent. This Ordinance shall not be construed to require or allow any act which is prohibited by any other Ordinance. Section 10. Authorization to Execute The Mayor is authorized to execute and the City Secretary is authorized to attest this Ordinance on behalf of the City Council; and the Mayor is authorized to do all other things legal and necessary in connection with the holding and consummation of the Election. Section 11. Effective Date This Ordinance shall take effect immediately from and after its passage and publication as may be required by law. Section 12. Proper Notice & Meeting It: is hereby officially found and determined that the meeting at which this Ordinance was passed was open to the public as required and that public notice of the time, place and purpose of said meeting was given as required by the Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551 ofthe Texas Government Code. PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 23rd day of January 2025, at a public meeting of the City Council of the City of Bellville. Hon. James Harrison, Mayor City of Bellville, Texas ATTEST: Gachadl &yuek Rachael Lynch, City Secretary Page 4 of 4 Ordinance Ordering General Election