Proposition 1

Highlights: Eliminates initializing language; Establishes elected officials' term staggering process; General clean-up of current language

Amended Text
Amending the Charter of the City of El Paso Section 2.1, Subsections A, B, and E, City Elections; Section 2.4, Subsection A, Representative Districts; Adjustment of Districts; and Section 4.3, Subsection A, Mayor Pro Tempore; and deleting Sections 2.1 C, 2.3 B and D, and Section 2.2 A 4 in their entirety; to read as follows:

Section 2.1, Subsections A, B and E CITY ELECTIONS.
A. Regular Elections. The regular City election shall be held on the uniform election date established in the Texas Election Code during the month of May with a run-off election to be held on the earliest date practicable in accordance with the law. All terms of elected officers to commence on the fourth Tuesday in June.
B. Officers Elected. The qualified voters of El Paso shall, as necessary to fill expired terms, elect the following officers at each regular election: A Mayor, eight District Representatives, and Judges of the Municipal Courts. Each Representative shall be elected from a district and the Mayor and other officers shall be elected from the City at large. Commencing in June 2005, the Judges of the Municipal Courts, the Mayor, and the District Representatives from districts numbers 2, 3, 4 and 7 shall be elected to four-year terms. Commencing in June 2005, the District Representatives from districts numbers 1, 5, 6 and 8 shall be elected to two-year terms, and commencing in June 2007, they shall thereafter be elected to four-year terms. Each officer shall hold office during the term for which elected and established herein and until the election and qualification of a successor, unless sooner removed in any manner provided in this Charter.
E. Vacancies and Removal from Office. An elective office also shall become vacant upon death, resignation, forfeiture of or removal from office of the officer in any manner authorized by law. Any elected City official shall be subject to removal from office if that official:

1. Lacks, at any time during the term of office, any qualification or requirement prescribed by this Charter or other law;
2. Is convicted of any felony, or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;
3. Violates the City Ethics Ordinance;
4. Makes any willful false statements or commits any fraud preventing the impartial execution of the provisions of this charter;
5. Knowingly and willfully solicits or assists in soliciting any contributions from any political party to be used in conjunction with any City election of City officers; or
6. In the case of the Mayor or a Representative, fails to attend three consecutive regular meetings of the Council without being excused by the Council. A Representative shall forfeit office if, during the term of office, that Representative establishes residence outside the Council district from which elected, unless otherwise provided by law.

Section 2.4, Subsection A REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS; ADJUSTMENT OF DISTRICTS.
A. Number of Districts. There shall be eight Representative districts. The Representative districts shall be of substantially equal population. One Representative shall be elected from each of the Representative districts established by the Council. Each district shall be numbered; for example, "Representative District No. 1."

Section 4.3, Subsection A MAYOR PRO TEMPORE,
A. At the first meeting upon the start of new terms of office following each general election, the Council shall elect from among the Representatives a Mayor Pro Tempore, who shall hold that office for a two year term. Should the office of Mayor Pro Tempore become vacant, the Council shall elect a new Mayor Pro Tempore.

Proposition Question
Ballot Proposition No. 1

FOR ( )

Shall Sections 2.1 A, B and E, 2.4 A, and 4.3 A of the City Charter be amended, and Sections 2.1 C, 2.3 B and D, and Section 2.2 A 4 of the City Charter be deleted in their entirety: relating to elections, designation of elected officials, and terms of office: to restate the terms of office for the Mayor and Representatives based on the four year staggered terms; to set a two year term of office for the Mayor Pro Tempore; to add two new criteria for the removal of elected officials; to remove references to the election of a City Tax Collector prior to 1989; to provide that election procedures, the filling of vacancies, and the conduct of runoff elections be in conformity with state law; and to renumber provisions as appropriate?

AGAINST ( )