Title
Consider an ordinance calling a Charter Amendment Election on November 3, 2026.
Body
DATE: August 4, 2026
TO: Kent Cagle, Interim City Manager
FROM: Holli Clements, City Attorney
SUBJECT: Calling a Charter Amendment Election on November 3, 2026.
BACKGROUND AND FINDINGS:
The charter is the fundamental governing document of a home-rule city in Texas. The City of Killeen originally adopted its home-rule charter in 1949 and it has been amended various times since then, most recently in 2022. The Charter may only be amended every two years and by majority vote at an election.
On January 20, 2026, the City Council created a charter review committee to review the City Charter and provide Council with recommended amendments to the Charter with an anticipated November 2026 election date. Over the past several months, Council has reviewed all eleven recommendations and provided proposed changes to various sections. The proposed revisions are as follows:
Sections 22 & 93
Move regular elections for mayor and all councilmembers to the November uniform election date during odd-numbered years.
Section 22
Repeal the requirement that a member of the City Council resign and vacate his/her position upon filling to run for a different office on the City Council.
Section 26
Require that any vacancy on the City Council be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the City Council and to allow for a special election to fill the vacancies should a quorum of the City Council no longer exist
Sections 103 & 104
Change the number of days in which the City Secretary must certify a petition for initiative or referendum, and in which a petitioner may amend a deficient petition, from 10 days to 30 days.
Sections 106 & 107
Prohibit the City Council from adopting any initiated ordinance that is inconsistent with state law or from submitting such an ordinance to the electors.
Sections 111 & 112
Require that a petitioner allege incompetence, official miscon...
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