San Angelo SMD-5 Voters Elect a New City Council Representative Saturday

SAN ANGELO – San Angelo voters who live in Single Member District 5 go to the polls today to elect a representative to finish out the term vacated by Lane Carter when he decided to run for Tom Green County Judge. 

The polls are open until 7 p.m. Saturday in three locations: 

• Angelo Bible Church, 3506 Sherwood Way, Lobby
• MHMR Services of the Concho Valley, Admin. Bldg., 1501 W. Beauregard, Jack Ray Room
• St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 2506 Johnson Ave., Fellowship Hall

The candidates running for the unexpired term are John Austin Stokes, Karen Hesse-Smith, Lynette Lucas and Dr. Bryan Angle.  

Stokes stopped by San Angelo LIVE recently for an on camera interview.  You can view that interview here. 

Hesse-Smith also participated in an interview with San Angelo LIVE.  Check it out here.  

Single Member District 5 includes the College Hills area in central San Angelo along with the historic Santa Rita neighborhood and Angelo State University. 

San Angelo City Council members serve 4 year terms.  They are paid $3,600 per year for their service.  The San Angelo City Council meets on two Tuesdays each month and the governing body oversees all aspects of city government.  There are six single member districts so there are six city council representatives and the Mayor who make up the city council.  

San Angelo City Council member's terms are limited.  No one can serve more than eight consecutive years according to the City Charter.  "No person shall serve as Mayor or Councilmember for more than eight consecutive years, excluding service for any partial term.

Here's why the city is holding an election now to fill the unexpired term:

"Where a vacancy in any elective office shall occur, except a vacancy created as a result of conditions contained in Section 13, the vacant office shall be filled by a unanimous vote of the remaining Mayor and/or City Council members for the unexpired term. In the event that a unanimous vote cannot be obtained within 30 days from the date of the vacancy, the vacant office shall be filled by a special election for the remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner as provided in this charter for the regular election of such offices. Such election shall be held on the first uniform election date under state law, no sooner than 30 days after ordering the election; provided however, that where a vacancy occurs within 90 days of the normal expiration date of the office, no special election to fill the vacancy shall be called unless more than two vacancies occur." states the city charter.  

This special election is being held in the midst of the regular statewide mid-term primary election.  That means that candidates running in the primary for statutory county offices like County Judge and County Commissioner are still campaigning.  The regular mid-term election will be held March 1, 2022 with early voting beginning on Feb. 14.  

There is a possibility that the city council election could result in a runoff election.  That would happen if no candidate receives over 50 % of the votes cast in the special election.  

If a special election would be held, it would be scheduled by state law after the March 1 primary election.