04 - Postponing the General Election for District 2 to November 3, 2020RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS,
TEXAS, ORDERING THAT THE GENERAL ELECTION SCHEDULED
TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020, TO ELECT ONE (1)
CITY COUNCIL MEMBER TO DISTRICT 2; BE POSTPONED TO
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3,2020; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND
PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; AND PROVIDING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, on or about March 13, 2020, the Governor of the State of Texas
certified that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) poses an imminent threat of disaster
and, under the authority vested in the Governor by Section 418.014 of the Texas
Government Code, declared a state of disaster in every county in the State of Texas;
and
WHEREAS, on or about March 18, 2020, the Governor issued a Proclamation
suspending certain sections of the Texas Election Code, among others, to allow
political subdivisions of the State that would otherwise hold elections on May 2,
2020, to postpone general and special elections to the next uniform election date,
November 3,2020; and
WHEREAS, on or about January 27, 2020, the City adopted Resolution No.
2020-002 which, in part, ordered a general election for Saturday, May 2, 2020, to
elect four (4) Councilmembers to the City Council, District 1, District 2, District 3,
and District 6; and
WHEREAS, ordinance No. 2020-008, on February 24, 2020, the City Council
declared unopposed candidates in City Council Districts 1, 3, and 6 for the May 2,
2020 General Election to be elected to office and that no elections be held in those
districts; and
WHEREAS, an election is still required in City Council District 2; and
WHEREAS, it is pursuant to the authority of the Governor's March 13, 2020,
disaster declaration and the March 18, 2020, proclamation that this Ordinance is
adopted; i.e., to postpone the City Council general election in the City of Paris from
Saturday, May 2, 2020, to Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, THAT:
SECTION 1. That all of the above findings are hereby found to be true and
correct and are hereby incorporated into the body of this Ordinance as if fully set
forth herein.
SECTION 2. That the general election scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 2020,
for District 2 on the Paris City Council is hereby postponed until Tuesday,
November 3, 2020, pursuant to the authority referenced in the Preamble to this
Ordinance, and it is hereby so ordered.
SECTION 3. That pursuant to Election Advisory No. 2020-12, issued by the
Texas Secretary of State's Office on or about March 18, 2020, this Order also makes
the following findings, and incorporates them by reference into this Ordinance: (1)
all candidate filings for the May 2, 2020, general election shall remain valid for the
November 3, 2020, general election; (2) the filing period will not be re -opened for
the November 3, 2020, general election; (3) all applications for a ballot by mail for
voters who are voting by mail due to being over the age of 65 or due to disability
will remain valid for the postponed election whereas all applications for a ballot
by mail based upon a voter's expected absence from the county will not be valid
for the postponed election; and (4) the major relevant dates for the November 3,
2020, general election are as follows: deadline to register to vote in the November
3, 2020, election—October 5, 2020; the deadline to submit an application for a
ballot by mail—October 23, 2020; and early voting—October 19, 2020, through
October 30, 2020.
SECTION 4. That this Ordinance shall become effective from and after its
passage.
DULY PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, ON THIS 26th DAY OF MARCH, 2020.
Steven J. Clifford, M.D., Mayor
ATTEST:
Janice Ellis, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Stephanie H. Harris, City Attorney