In light of the coronavirus pandemic, Round Rock City Council voted 7-0 on April 9 to postpone the scheduled May 2 election to Nov. 3. This move aligns with action from the state and county on postponing elections to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
On March 13, Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster for all counties in Texas. Five days later, he issued a proclamation to allow political subdivisions to postpone their May local elections.
“The council is exercising authority granted by the governor’s proclamation and is hereby postponing the election that would have been held on Saturday, May 2, 2020, to now be held on the next uniform election date, which is Tuesday, November 3, 2020,” the resolution states. “However, if an earlier date, occurring after May 2, 2020, but before November 3, 2020, is authorized by the Governor of the State of Texas, the City Council may consider holding the general and special election originally scheduled for May 2, 2020 on such earlier date.”
The date of the election is the only change, per council’s April 9 vote. The candidate filing period will not reopen, and al candidate applications filed for the May 2 election remain valid.
“I struggle with this,” Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan said. “I think voting is clearly the most important thing we can do. I have major concerns that a May election is being moved to November. We get put down on the bottom of the ballot and get lost.”
Morgan said he is looking into possible alternatives to a November election.
“I don’t think we have a choice today about not doing it in May, but the November option would be the last I would choose,” Mayor Pro Tem Writ Baese said. “I would be in support of any effort to allow us to pursue alternatives other than November.”
Council Members Matt Baker and Tammy Young also expressed concerns with the November date. Council Member Will Peckham deferred to the rest of the council, as his seat is up for election.
“If there is any opportunity for the governor to allow us to do this before November, I am all in favor of that,” Council Member Hilda Montgomery said. “But we don’t have a choice for May. There’s nothing we can do about May.”
Updated dates for the rescheduled election
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 5
- Mail-in ballot deadline: Oct. 23
- Early voting period: Oct. 19-30
- Election Day: Nov. 3
