Universal City council formally canvasses May 13 election, swears in reelected members; Ashton Bowman declines seat, vacancy to be formalized May 20

Universal City Council met in a special session May 13 to canvass the city’s election results, swear in reelected council members and elect a mayor pro tem.

The council voted to approve a resolution canvassing the May 13 general election and declaring the successful candidates elected. Council members cast recorded “aye” votes during the roll call; the motion carried. The council then administered the oath of office to the reelected members.

The action followed the city’s receipt of a letter from former Council member Ashton Bowman declining the office to which she had been elected. According to remarks on the record, the letter was tendered to the city clerk on May 8, creating a vacancy effective that date under the Texas Elections Code; the council said that vacancy will be formalized by resolution at its next regular meeting on May 20.

Shortly after the swearing-in, the council took up the election of a mayor pro tem for a one-year term. Christina Fitzpatrick was nominated, seconded and confirmed by the council; the motion carried.

What happened

A resolution described on the meeting record as Resolution 9,812,025, “a resolution canvassing the vote for the May 13 general election, declaring candidate elected, requiring the oath of office and providing an effective date,” was moved for approval and seconded. During the roll call on that motion, Council member Vaughan, Council member Goldsby, Mayor Patchen Fitzpatrick, Council member Puth and Council member Boff were recorded as voting “aye.” The council announced the motion carried and proceeded to swear in the reelected council members.

Council members repeated the oath of office, in which each affirmed they would “faithfully execute the duties of the office of Universal City Council member … and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this state.”

The clerk read a letter from Ashton Bowman stating she declined the office to which she had been elected. Council members stated on the record that the declination was tendered May 8 and that the council will formalize the vacancy by resolution at the May 20 regular meeting; no additional discussion or action on filling the vacancy was taken that night.

On the mayor pro tem election, a councilmember addressed the mayor to nominate Christina Fitzpatrick for mayor pro tem. The nomination was seconded and the council voted; Council member Ball was recorded as voting “aye” and the council announced the motion carried.

Why it matters

The canvass is the formal step finalizing the city’s May 13 election results and enabling newly elected officials to take office. Ashton Bowman’s written declination creates a council vacancy that the council will address at its next regular meeting, which could trigger an appointment or other vacancy-filling process under Texas law. The mayor pro tem serves as the mayor’s stand-in when the mayor is absent.

Details and next steps

- Resolution: The record identifies the canvass instrument as Resolution 9,812,025; the text on the meeting transcript describes it as the resolution canvassing the May 13 election and requiring the oath of office.

- Declination and vacancy: The transcript records that Ashton Bowman’s declination letter was delivered to the city clerk on May 8 and that the vacancy will be formalized by resolution at the May 20 regular council meeting.

- Mayor pro tem: Christina Fitzpatrick was nominated, seconded and confirmed to a one-year term as mayor pro tem; the council announced the motion carried.

No detailed vote tally beyond the roll-call statements recorded on the meeting record was provided for the mayor pro tem election. The council did not take additional public action on filling the vacancy created by Bowman’s declination during the special meeting.