El Campo amends voting ordinance to match Wharton County early-voting changes

The El Campo City Council on its April 2025 meeting approved Ordinance 2025-06 to amend Ordinance 2025-03 and revise days, hours and locations for early and election-day voting for the May 3, 2025 general election.

Council members said the change was needed after the Wharton County Elections Administrator notified the city of modified early-voting schedules and polling locations that differ from the city’s existing service contract with the county. The city secretary said the school district requested additional hours and agreed to pay the extra cost, prompting the change.

City Secretary Kaylee Hudella explained the practical reason the city moved to amend the ordinance: "We contract with the county, which means we have joint polling locations. Anytime one of the other entities is open for their polling, we should be open for the same hours as well," Hudella said. She added that the new county elections administrator is handling her first election and there was a breakdown in communication about the changes.

Hudella told the council the adjustments include pulling some hours and that an East Bernard polling location included in the city’s agreement will not operate this year. She also described the petition and approval process the county and other entities follow to change voting hours and locations, and said the school district’s request to extend hours was processed through the county and that the district agreed to cover the cost.

Council discussion focused on why the city had to change a long-standing schedule and whether the change applies only to this election. Hudella said the change is for this cycle unless parties request otherwise in future elections and noted that the city’s contract defaults to minimum hours required by the Texas Secretary of State.

A council member moved to approve the ordinance and a second was recorded. The motion passed; the transcript does not record a roll-call tally.

The ordinance amends the city’s voting schedule for the May 3, 2025 general election to reflect the county’s updated polling locations and extended hours where another jurisdiction requested and agreed to pay the additional costs.

Council members asked staff to clarify communications procedures with the county for future elections so the city receives earlier notice of changes. The amendment applies to the current election cycle and will be revisited in future cycles if locations or hours change again.