Cumby, Yantis Schools Have Already Postponed Their Elections Until November
Both Cumby ISD and Yantis ISD postponed elections within the last week, just ahead of the Secretary of State elections officer’s email notifying local election officials that the May 2 elections must be postponed due to the Governor’s Executive Order requiring people to remain at home unless at an essential job or essential tasks such as grocery shopping to reduce the spread of COVID-19
Early voting in May 2 elections is scheduled to start April 20 and continue weekdays through April 28. While election personnel are included in the federal government’s advisory on essential critical infrastructure workers, that does not include voters.
Keith Ingram, director of the Elections Division of the Office of the Secretary of State, explained in the April 2 letter to elections officials that the March 31 Executive Order prevents elections officials from securing polling places, recruiting election workers, and allowing voters a safe way to exercise their right to vote.
Conducting May 2 election would subject voters to health risks and potential criminal violations. Thus, all May 2 elections should be postponed until November due to the COVID-10 pandemic, according to the Secretary of State.
Schools
Cumby ISD Board of Trustees on March 24 voted to postpone the May 2 bond election. The election will now take place on Nov. 3, alongside other national, state and other elections. Early voting for the election will now be conducted Oct. 19-30.
Yantis ISD Board of Trustees conducted a meeting a special March 30 meeting in which they officially postponed the May 2 trustees election until Nov. 3.
City Council
Sulphur Springs and Cumby City Councils also are slated to address the issue of the May 2 council elections at their next meetings. They are expected to postpone them until November as well.
Cumby City Council called a special election to fill two alderman seats. Two candidates each filed for the Place 1 and 2 seats on the council.
The council is slated to take action regarding the election at the next meeting, to be conducted April 14 online.
Sulphur Springs was able to cancel the election for two regular seats on the council, but still has a special election to fill four seats left vacant when four council members resigned in December. Three of the candidates are unchallenged for the places they seat, but Place 1 drew four candidates and Place 5 two candidates.
Sulphur Springs City Council will be asked during their regular meeting on April 7 to approve Resolution No. 1191 postponing the Special Election until Nov. 3. That meeting will be by video or teleconferencing platform to be streamed online starting at 7 p.m.. April 7 for the public to view
