KILLEEN, Texas — The Killeen City Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution under Senate Bill 1494 to change the city’s general election date to the November uniform election date in odd-numbered years, with the change to take effect beginning in November 2027 and the scheduled May 2026 election to proceed as planned.

The council’s action followed more than an hour of public comment from a cross-section of residents, organizers and precinct officials who outlined competing priorities: higher turnout and lower administration costs if municipal contests align with November voting, versus concerns about extending or shortening certain council terms and preserving the city’s chartered staggered terms.

The motion to move all general elections to November in odd-numbered years was made by Councilman Kendrick and seconded by Councilwoman Cobb; Mayor Pro Tem offered an amendment to have the May 2026 election held and to make the November date effective in 2027. The amendment passed, and the motion as amended was approved 7–0.

Why it mattered

Supporters said aligning Killeen’s municipal contests with November elections would increase turnout and reduce per-election costs. Kristen Wright, founder and executive director of Killeen Creators, told the council, “I come here today on their behalf, strongly supporting HB 1494 to move local elections to coincide with November general elections,” and argued consolidation could free taxpayer dollars for other city services.

Several speakers cited local turnout figures. Brandy L. L. Byrd said roughly 3,994 people voted in the city’s May election compared with a city population estimate she cited as about 160,616; another commenter noted one precinct saw 8,501 voters in November versus about 3,095 in the most recent May contest.

Legal constraints and staggered terms

City Attorney Clemens reviewed the statute and the city charter, saying the law grants home-rule cities a pathway to adopt a resolution that may conflict with charter provisions on staggered terms. As Clemens summarized for council, “This statute allows you to adopt a resolution that does conflict with the charter,” and explained the statute’s holdover provisions and how they affect term lengths depending on which option the council chose.

That legal explanation framed much of the council’s discussion. Opponents warned Option 2 — which would immediately move all contests and eliminate even-year elections — could produce what they called unelected extensions of some officials’ terms and shorten others, reducing the staggered continuity the charter currently provides. Several residents urged either retaining staggered terms or adopting a delayed implementation (the amendment ultimately adopted achieves that delay).

What the council approved

The council approved an amended resolution that:

- Keeps the regularly scheduled May 2026 general election in place.
- Moves all subsequent general elections for mayor and councilmembers to the November uniform election date in odd-numbered years beginning in November 2027.
- Directs staff and counsel to pursue follow-up steps, including a recommended charter review and potential charter election to align the city charter with the resolution in advance of the 2027 election cycle.

Vote and next steps

The amendment and the motion as amended each passed on council votes; the final tally on the motion as amended was recorded 7–0 in favor. City staff and the city attorney recommended performing a charter review and, if appropriate, placing conforming charter language on a future ballot so the charter and the resolution match; Clemens told council the December 31 statutory opt-in deadline was the reason for the special meeting.

The council’s action does not itself change the charter; Clemens noted the statute includes constitutional and statutory holdover provisions that would adjust terms to conform to the new election date absent further charter action. Council members also discussed the need to coordinate with partner election jurisdictions, including KISD and Central Texas College, and to undertake public outreach to inform voters about the new schedule.

The meeting adjourned after the vote. The council did not adopt new charter language at this meeting; rather, the resolution authorizes the date change while recommending a future charter review and possible charter election to resolve staggered-term and other charter consistency issues.