Early voting underway in local elections
By Lew K. Cohn
Managing Editor
The Highlander
Early voting in the Saturday, May 5, local elections has begun in Burnet and Llano counties and eligible voters will have extended hours to cast their early ballot both this week and next.
In Burnet County, early voting takes place at the Burnet County Courthouse, 220 S. Pierce, Burnet, and at the Courthouse South Annex, 810 Steve Hawkins Parkway, Marble Falls, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 24; Wednesday, April 26; Friday, April 27; and Tuesday, May 1.
Extended voting hours will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 26, and Monday, April 30, in both locations. Early voting ends May 1.
On Election Day, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting Precincts 3 and 8 in Granite Shoals will cast their balllots at the Granite Shoals Fire Station, 8410 RM 1431 West, Granite Shoals. In the city of Burnet, Voting Precincts 2 and 17 will cast ballots at the Burnet County Courthouse. And, in Bertram, Voting Precinct 12 will vote at the Bertram Library, 170 N. Gabriel St., Bertram.
Granite Shoals
Five candidates are seeking three positions on the Granite Shoals City Council. In Place 2, incumbent Shirley King faces a re-election challenge from Bruce A. Jones. In Place 4, Terry Scott and Ryan Wolters are battling to succeed incumbent Tom Dillard, who has reached his term limit.
In Place 6, Will Skinner is running unopposed for the seat currently held by Mark Morren, who chose not to seek re-election.
Candidates for City Council participated in a forum sponsored by The Highlander on Saturday, April 21. For more information about that event, please see the separate story.
Burnet
While there was no opposition for Burnet's City Council races this year, there are 17 proposed amendments to the Burnet City Charter on the ballot for consideration by qualified voters.
While some of the amendments consitute “housekeeping” to bring the charter in line with state law, others more clearly outline the electoral process or define the powers of the mayor and council. They include:
* eliminating provisions which are redundant of, or in conflict, with state law.
* providing that City Council members "may" be compensated, rather than "shall" be compensated.
* clarifying that the mayor's authority to delay a vote is not indefinite.
* clarifying that a council member who resigns to run for another city office remains in office until their successor is qualified and sworn in to office.
* eliminating the provisions related to the city's authority to issue bonds as duplicate of the authority provided for in state law.
* provide that council members shall be inducted into office at the same council meeting that the votes are canvassed.
* provide that initiative and referendum petitions must be signed by five percent of the number of voters registered to vote at the last general city election.
* provide that recall petitions must be signed by qualified voters of the City equal in number to the greater of 500 registered voters or ten percent of the number of voters registered to vote at the last general city election.
* eliminating the requirement of an ordinance for certain expenditures.
* requiring the city manager to submit a five-year capital program with the annual budget.
* eliminating the requirement of the creation of a comprehensive plan.
* requiring council and city staff to comply with state nepotism laws.
* providing notice of claims against the City consistent with State law.
* requiring any ordinance that levies a fine or penalty, or deals with the budget, taxes, franchises or public utilities, or the setting of their rates, shall be read at two meetings.
* creating a due-process hearing procedure for alleged forfeiture of office and penalties for violating a prohibition of the City Charter.
* requiring council to either hold an election or appoint an individual to vacancy where the remaining term is less than one year.
* deleting certain prohibitions and criminal penalties inconsistent with, or repetitive of, state law.
Bertram
Three seats are available on the Bertram City Council in the May 5 election — including the city's top elected official.
City Councilman Adam Warden faces off against Danielle Armknecht for a full mayoral term. Incumbent mayor Cynthia “Shell” Anderson decided not to seek re-election to that position, but appears elsewhere on the ballot.
That's because Anderson is running for Warden's council seat, one of two at-large seats available. The other seat is currently held by incumbent Kim Klose. Also running for one of the two seats is Jane Scheidler.
