City Council to Discuss Filling District 3 Seat Vacated by Harry Thomas Recall

SAN ANGELO, TX — The City Council will consult with the city attorney about options to fill the District 3 seat at its Nov. 17 meeting and then take formal action in open session, according to a statement from the city. 

The formal canvassing of the Nov. 3 election that removed Council Member Harry Thomas will also occur at the meeting. The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the McNease Convention Center, 501 Rio Concho Drive. 

Voters in Single-member District 3 recalled Thomas on Nov. 3. Unofficial results showed 1,605 votes in favor of the recall (67.92 percent) and 758 against (32.08 percent). 

Mayor Tom Thompson said in a statement the day after the election that the city respects the voters’ decision. He thanked Thomas for nearly a decade of service and said the council would determine next steps to fill the position in compliance with state law. 

The recall was organized by the San Angelo Data Center Citizen Coalition. Organizers cited concerns about transparency and public engagement related to a proposed data center project in northeastern San Angelo. The petition required 47 valid signatures from District 3 voters — 30 percent of the 155 votes cast in Thomas’s last regular election in May 2023. The city clerk certified 53 valid signatures. 

The City Council voted 6-1 on Aug. 4 to order the Nov. 3 special election. Thompson cast the sole opposing vote. Thomas, who had served more than 10 years on the council, previously said he had no plans to resign. 

Past city elections administered by Tom Green County have averaged about $30,809, according to city agenda documents. The additional election was not anticipated in the city clerk’s regular budget, which funds one election per fiscal year.