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Changing Election Dates for Local Political Subdivisions

There is no requirement for local entities to change their election dates.  However, the 89th Legislature did enact a number of provisions that authorize different types of entities to move their elections to the November uniform election date if they want to do so. A list of each bill, which entities it applies to, and the deadline for a governing body to take action are summarized in the chart below.

The primary advantage of moving election dates to November is that it allows those entities to hold their elections jointly with their county's November election, which may allow them to reduce costs and increase turnout.  If the entity prefers to conduct their own elections without the county, then the main effect of moving to November is that the entity must use the county's polling places on election day rather than using their own locations. The other possible advantages and drawbacks will depend on the entity and the county and their preferences for how they wish to run their elections.

HB 3546 (2025, R.S.) allows the board of trustees of an independent school district to, not later than December 31, 2030, adopt a resolution to modify the length of trustee terms until the date the November election is canvassed, with terms staggered for either three or four years. This resolution must specify how the transition from the former term length to the new term length will occur, starting with the first regular election after the resolution is adopted. [Educ. Code 11.059(e)].

HB 3546 also, separately, gives independent school districts the authority to change the date of their general elections for officers to the November uniform election date. The bill did not prescribe a deadline for an ISD to make the change to the November uniform election date; however, any change would require an official action by the governing body. [Elec. Code 41.0052(f)].

SB 1494 (2025, R.S.) allows the governing body of a political subdivision, other than a county or municipal utility district, that holds its general election for officers on the May uniform date to change the date on which it holds its general election for officers to the November uniform election date. One important limitation to this type of change is that entities can only move their elections to the November uniform date in odd-numbered years. Entities cannot change the date of their election to the November uniform election date in even-numbered years. [Elec. Code 41.0052(a)].

Because SB 1494 only authorizes these entities to move their election dates to the November uniform date in odd-numbered years, the procedure created by SB 1494 is only available to entities that hold their elections every two years or every four years, such as two-year terms that are unstaggered, or four-year terms that are staggered or unstaggered.  This process is not available to entities with two-year terms that are staggered or to entities that have one-year or three-year terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Our entity wants to move its election from May to November. How do we do that?

   In general, for a local entity to move their election date from one uniform election date to another uniform election date, the Legislature must provide specific statutory authorization for that type of entity to do so. The bills discussed in this resource authorize certain local entities to move their election date. If your entity does not meet the requirements, then your entity cannot move its election.

   If your entity has specific statutory authorization to move its election date, then the entity must take some sort of official action to move its election to the November uniform election date. An order or an ordinance passed by the governing body of the political subdivision would satisfy this requirement. We recommend consulting with your legal counsel on questions related to the procedure or language that would need to be included in an order or ordinance that moves an entity’s election. Once the order or ordinance is approved, the entity should retain the record with other election records in case questions arise in the future about when the entity moved its general election date.

2. Our entity has three-year terms, or typically elects officers in May of even-numbered years. Can we move our election to November?

   For schools, HB 3546 allows the board of trustees to change the date of the ISD’s general election date from May to November. There is no restriction on even versus odd-numbered years.

   For cities and other political subdivisions, because SB 1494 only authorizes entities to move their election date to the November uniform election date in odd-numbered years, this procedure is only available to entities who hold their elections every two years or every four years, such as two-year terms that are unstaggered, or four-year terms that are staggered or unstaggered.  This process is not available to entities with two-year terms that are staggered or to entities that have one-year or three-year terms.

   Because SB 1494 specifically authorizes entities to move their election to the November uniform election date in odd-numbered years, entities cannot use the procedure created by SB 1494 to change the date of their election to the November uniform election date in even-numbered years.

3. Our entity currently has two-year staggered terms. If we unstaggered the terms, can we move our elections to November in odd-numbered years?

   Because SB 1494 only authorizes entities to move their election dates to the November uniform date in odd-numbered years, this procedure would only be available to entities who hold their elections every two years or every four years, such as cities with two-year terms that are unstaggered, or cities with four-year terms that are staggered or unstaggered.  This process would likely not be available to entities with two-year terms that are staggered, unless they unstagger their terms first.

   In Attorney General Opinion KP-0384 (PDF), the Attorney General suggested that cities with staggered terms have the ability to unstagger their terms by adopting an ordinance providing for unstaggered terms. Therefore, as long as the entity has legal authority to unstagger their terms, then the entity could switch their even-year elections to odd-year elections and move their election to the November uniform date in odd-numbered years.

4. If we move our elections to November, would trustee terms need to be shortened, or would the existing trustees be permitted to serve as a holdover?

   Per Section 41.0052(b) of the Election Code, a governing body changing an election date shall adjust the terms of office to conform to the new election date. As part of the adjustment, Section 41.0052(d) allows existing members of the governing body to hold over until the new election dates so that the new terms of office conform to the new election date going forward.

   For schools wishing to utilize HB 3546 to change the length of the terms of its trustees, Section 11.059(e) of the Education Code requires the resolution adopting the change to specify the manner in which the transition from the former term to the modified term will be made. Additionally, the transition must begin with the first regular trustee election that occurs after the date the board adopts the resolution and a trustee who serves on the date the resolution is adopted shall serve the remainder of their term.

5. Our entity already holds its election in November. Can we move our election to May?

   An entity needs statutory authority to move its election. Currently there is no authority under Section 41.0052 of the Election Code for an entity to move its election from the November uniform election date to the May uniform election date.