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Henderson County OKs interlocal agreements for May 3 elections; some ESDs seeking tax referendums
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Summary
Commissioners approved interlocal agreements to hold May 3 elections for multiple cities, school districts and emergency service districts and noted that Emergency Service Districts 1, 2 and 4 are proposing tax-rate referendums.
Henderson County Commissioners Court approved interlocal agreements to hold May 3, 2025 elections for multiple entities and noted that three local emergency service districts submitted propositions to increase tax rates.
The court unanimously approved contracts to run elections for Emergency Service District (ESD) Nos. 1, 2 and 4; the cities of Eustace, Brownsboro, Maybank, Seven Points, Gun Barrel (as spoken in the meeting), and Chandler; and Athens ISD, Eustace ISD, Maybank ISD and Kemp ISD. A county official told the court the agreements have been approved by the respective entities and reviewed by the county attorney and that sample ballots were being posted online.
Why it matters: the county administers elections for smaller jurisdictions by interlocal agreement, and the court’s action finalizes the county’s role in running the May 3 balloting. The court also noted that several ESDs are seeking ballot propositions that would lift tax-rate caps in place for some rural fire protection districts.
County staff described the ESD requests during the motion. The elections administrator said representatives for the ESDs ‘‘are proposing a tax increase in there, so I can read the proposition if you want to, but, I have it if you need it. But it's, it's an increase in, their tax rate.’’ The court discussed that the original rural fire prevention districts are capped at three cents and that ESDs are capped at 10 cents unless voters approve more.
The court asked whether any of the scheduled elections could cancel between the approval and May 3; staff replied that they were finalized and that logic-and-accuracy testing and sample-ballot posting were underway. Commissioners moved and seconded the interlocal agreements, and the motion passed unanimously.
The court record included a staff reminder that some ESDs remain delinquent on required filings and that remaining late filers include ESD 2, ESD 5 and one outstanding year for ESD 10. The elections administrator also reminded the court that ESDs must file transparency reports with the Texas comptroller by April or face possible fines.
Votes at a glance: the court approved the interlocal agreements for the May 3, 2025 election covering the entities listed above; motion passed unanimously.
