Magnolia City Council members voted unanimously to postpone the May 2 mayoral election and extend the city's local disaster declaration during a teleconference meeting March 26.

The May 2 election will now be held November 3, the uniform election date. Council Member Richard Carby said he believed postponing the election was a good idea since early voting for the May 2 election was to begin April 22.

“We have less than 30 days before that, and they are saying we have not yet hit the Thomas Bell curve on this [coronavirus outbreak] yet,” he said. “This is probably a pretty good idea.”

The May 2 ballot was set to include incumbent Mayor Todd Kana and Council Member Jonny Williams running for mayor of the city.

Various county and state restrictions on gathering sizes, social distancing practices and business closures have been implemented in the Magnolia area since March 12 as precautionary measures to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Gov. Greg Abbott issued a proclamation March 18 allowing political subdivisions, such as local cities, to postpone their May 2020 local elections.

During the March 26 teleconference meeting, the city's disaster declaration was also extended until April 15, one day after council’s regularly scheduled meeting April 14. The city of Magnolia declared a local disaster March 19 in effect for seven days, according to a proclamation listed on the city's website and signed by Kana.

City Attorney Leonard Schneider said he recommended the declaration be extended to April 15 so that if the declaration needs to be extended, it can be done so at the regular meeting.

By maintaining the declaration of disaster, the city is eligible to receive state or federal funding for disaster-related expenses, Kana said.