The Dallas City Council voted 15-0 on Wednesday to move municipal elections from May to November of odd-numbered years.
Citing dismal voter turnout during May municipal elections, and strong voter support of a similar question last fall, the Dallas City Council unanimously approved moving city elections to November in odd number years.
The vote ends the practice of holding city elections in May, followed by a state election in November, as was done this year.
Voter turnout for the municipal election on May 3, which included 14 council members, was just over 8% according to Dallas County Elections.
The election held on November 4, which included 17 proposed constitutional amendments, generated 16% turnout.
District 1 council member Chad West said the vote will help Dallas move away from a ranking that finds the city either last or next to last in voter turnout for municipal elections among the 30 largest U.S. cities.
“This is not about the 15 of us sitting here around the horseshoe; this is about making a system better for decades to come,” West said before the unanimous vote.
State Representative Rafael Anchia, D -Dallas, who carried a bill in the Texas Legislature, which gave cities the option to move their elections, said the move is “not a silver bullet.”
“We will go from abysmal turnout to just low turnout,” Anchia said.
The next city council and mayoral election will be in November 2027.