1. Chapter Four Local Government in Texas

2. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 4-2 Introduction In this presentation, you’ll see the different methods that cities in Texas can use to elect the mayor and council members. Remember that these elections are nonpartisan and candidates nominate themselves for office.

3. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 4-3 Types of Elections There are basically four methods of electing the city leaders: At-Large Place Single-member Cumulative vote In general, the cities choose which method to use.

4. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 4-4 Our City This is our hypothetical city. We’ll use it to show how the four methods work. Note: Not all cities are this shape. This is merely an example. Refer to “Election Laws” in Chapter 4.

5. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 4-5 At-Large Elections Everyone runs against everyone else. This method is normally used for mayoral elections, but can be used for some council seats. If you live within the city limits, you can run for office and vote in the election.

6. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 4-6 Place System In this method, council members file for a specific numbered place, and then only run against anyone else that files for the same place– which may not be anybody. If you live within the city limits, you can run for office and vote in the election.

7. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 4-7 Single-Member Districts In this method, you must run or vote within the district in which you live. Each colored area is a specific district. Those that live in the RED district can only run (and vote) against others in the RED district.

8. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 4-8 Cumulative Voting This is a new method for Texas. Voters have as many votes as there are council seats available. Voters can cast ALL their votes for a single person, or they can spread them around. The candidates with the most votes are the ones elected to the council.

9. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 4-9 Final Points Most elected city officials are volunteers. Some do get paid, but for most it is not a full-time job. Most city candidates use their own money, but must still abide by Texas campaign finance laws. City election systems are still subject to U.S. Government approvals; mainly regarding minority voter discrimination.