Changes in Westbank Community Library District's Elections for its Board of Trustees.
Big changes have taken place concerning the Westbank Community Library District’s elections for its Board of Trustees. Up until now, the elections have been conducted by the library district itself every May. But last year, the 82nd Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 100, which permits library districts to move trustee elections from May to November. Therefore, starting this year, the library will contract with the Travis County Elections Administrator to conduct elections, and they will be permanently moved to November.
The reasons behind this decision were many:
- As the procedures and protocols surrounding elections were growing ever more complicated, the staff and volunteer resources required to run a compliant election were becoming overwhelming for the district.
- In the past, the library has conducted elections just for board trustees; however, many people came to the library on election day expecting to vote for school board members and other elected officials. Having the county conduct our elections will eliminate this confusion.
- The district believes that aligning the trustee elections with the standard November elections will increase voter turnout, thus helping contribute to a more widely representative outcome.
Senate Bill 100 also permits the district to extend the terms of those trustees whose terms expire in May 2012 to November 2012, and similarly extend those terms of trustees whose terms expire in May 2013 to November 2013.
So what does this mean for you? No more having to put away your cell phone at the library during elections. No more having to make a separate trip just to vote for the library trustees. All you need to remember is that you will now be casting your vote for the trustees in November (not May), and that in November you will vote for library trustees not at the library, as you may be accustomed, but at your regular voting location.
If you would like to read the text of Senate Bill 100, you may find it here: http://tx.opengovernment.org/sessions/82/bills/sb-100
Board of Trustees Election 2011
Board of Trustees Election 2010