Fair Oaks Ranch council position on Dec.
Early voting starts November 27 for Fair Oaks Ranch residents in the Dec. 9 election of a new city council member.
City Council received a report at its October 5 meeting from City Secretary Christine Picioccio on the city’s options after Place 3 Councilwoman Michelle Bliss notified council Sept. 21 of her intention to resign from the post.
“According to the city charter, anything over 365 days that remains of a term, we have to have a special election, and we must have that within 120 days,” Picioccio said.
She told council the Dec. 9 date offers more time for candidate application and fewer early voting dates, than other election dates being considered.
After conferring with Kendall and Bexar County election officials, Picioccio said she learned “it is a challenge to have an election during the holidays,” with Thanksgiving in November, Christmas in December and New Years in January – all time periods when residents take to the highways and airways to spend time with family and friends.
January dates were not available, she said, as election offices begin the year on skeleton crews and their staffs begin training for the upcoming primary elections in March.
Of all dates being considered, she said December 9 offered more benefits for the city.
“It allows a lot longer time for applicants to submit their applications and, because it butts up to the Thanksgiving holiday, removes some of those mandatory early voting dates, which cuts back our costs,” she said.
When ordered on October 5, candidates can begin to apply 40 days before the election, or Monday, October 30. November 4 is the last day for a candidate to withdraw, or to declare a write-in candidacy.
Early voting would begin Nov. 27 and last through Dec. 5, with Election Day on Saturday. Dec 9. Two voting locations will be used for early voting, the Kendall County courthouse annex and Fair Oaks Ranch city office.
The Fair Oaks Ranch site would be the only site open on Dec. 9, Election Day. Council unanimously accepted the Dec. 9 recommendation.
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