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Council adopts Activity Center rules restricting political groups during active voting days
Summary
Following a complaint about possible electioneering during early voting, council approved new Activity Center policies: known political groups will not be permitted access until 30 minutes after polls close; staff will coordinate calendars with the city secretary; staff will attempt rescheduling or relocation when polling reservations occur; rental agreements will include acknowledgement of election‑period restrictions.
After an incident during early voting on Feb. 17 in which a rescheduled meeting overlapped with polling at the Lakeway Activity Center, the city manager recommended stricter access rules for political groups. City Manager Joseph Mullis told council staff had allowed a reservation to set up early and then received a complaint about potential electioneering near the polling location.
Mullis proposed, and council adopted, four specific measures: known political groups will not be permitted access to Activity Center meeting rooms until 30 minutes after polls close; staff will coordinate with the city secretary to mark election periods on reservation calendars; when a polling reservation is scheduled staff will review the facility calendar and reschedule or relocate political events when possible; and reservation agreements will include election period restrictions requiring applicant acknowledgement. Council discussed constitutional limits on total prohibitions but supported the narrowly tailored measures adopted following executive‑session legal consultation. The motion carried unanimously.
