WAXHACHIE – The residents of Waxahachie officially had their voices heard at last week’s election and said yes to electing the mayor of their city in future elections.
Waxahachie has not directly elected its mayor because the city operates under a council-manager charter adopted in 1956, where the five-member city council appoints one of its own members as mayor.
Proposition A, which was to amend the city charter, passed with 82.73% of the vote.
The amendment provided the Mayor shall be elected at large, repealing the current provision in which the Mayor serves at the pleasure of the City Council.
This will be the first time in 175 years since the city has been in existence that residents will be allowed to vote for their mayor.
The first election to adhere to the amended change will be next year May 2027.
Residents also voted to move city council seats to three-year terms instead of the current two-year terms.
The proposition which passed indicated in the amendment that council was to “establish a schedule by which the new three-year terms shall take effect; and if there is a vacancy on the City Council for an office with a three-year term, the vacancy must be filled by special election in accordance with the requirements of the Texas Constitution.
“However, if 12 months or less remain in the unexpired term, the council may appoint an individual to serve the remainder of said term.”
This amendment passed with 826 votes to 742 residents who voted against allowing council to serve three year terms.