Rowlett City Council approves canvass of May 3 municipal election

The Rowlett City Council voted 5-0 on May 12 to approve a resolution canvassing the results of the May 3 general and special elections, formally declaring the winners for mayor and council seats.

City Secretary Debbie Sorensen presented the certified tallies to the council and read the results. For council member Place 2, Marvin Gibbs received 2,696 votes (59.87 percent) and David Larrick Smith received 1,807 votes (40.13 percent). For Place 4, Mike Britton received 2,517 votes (56.22 percent). For the special election for mayor, Sorensen announced, “Jeff Winget has duly been elected as mayor,” after Winget received 2,616 votes (56.82 percent) to Deb Schinder’s 1,988 votes (43.18 percent).

The council’s action formalized the city secretary’s announced tallies. Councilmember Schupp moved to approve the resolution “in accordance with the tally provided by the city secretary,” and Councilmember Bowers seconded the motion. The roll call was a show-of-hands and the motion carried 5-0.

The canvass is the official certification required after a municipal election; the city also noted that, under the city charter, mayoral and council candidates must be elected by a majority of votes cast. The council did not take further action beyond approving the canvass.

The meeting record shows the canvass presentation and the council’s vote took place during the May 12 special meeting of the Rowlett City Council and that Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Schindler was absent for the vote.

The council’s certification clears the way for the newly elected officials to assume office and for any necessary runoff scheduling for contests that did not produce a majority winner.