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Home My WebLink About1957 Elections and Runoffs__., �...vubaaV UL L11C L111' Force. Three Seekin . 9ZI, Council Posts At College Three councilmen will be elected in municipal voting at College Station April 2 but one, Ernest Seeger of Ward 3, faces no opposition. J. A. Orr and Don Dale are competing for the seat from Ward 1, while K. A. (Cubby) Manning and D. A. Anderson are on the ballot for Ward 2. Voting will take place at the College Station City Hall. Tw muster the majority of that the Texas Election for. who was running unopposed for reelection in that ward, died a. few days before the election. There were a number of write -in votes, and the coun• cil certified a runoff between Col Frank H. Matthews, re- tired army man, and the Rev R. L. Brown, who received 10 and 2 votes respectively. Others whose 'names were written in were ruled ineligible to hold the office. CS Election Planned, May 7; College Station election problems were cleared somewhat yesterday, at a called meeting of the City Council - to decide procedure for electing a councilman to fill the vacancy left by Ernest Seeger, who died three days before the recent elections, in which he was running unopposed for re- election. Col. Frank Mathews (USA Ret.) and the Rev. R. L. Brown have both been certified to run in the run -off election and have expressed their intentions to do so. Col. Mathews received 10 write.in votes in the last election but could not 0 THE H OUSTON P o s T Runoff TUE 957 DAY, APRIL 16, 1 Possible April 23 THE POST'S TEXAS NEWS SERVICE COLLEGE STATION — A runoff to elect an alderman from Ward 3 here will prob- ably be held April 23, the Col- lege Station City Council de- cided after canvassing votes in the April 2 election. Alderman Ernest See ger, R unnin g 7 votes cast names will be on the ballot: Col. Code calls I Mathews and Rev- Brown. "Matt Warman, who is over 60 years old and got 9 votes in the first election, has graciously con- sented. not to ask to run, City Attorney C. E. Dillon said. "The most, delicate problem in the whole thing is whether citizens over 60 can vote and hold office without a poll tax exemption in cities under 10,000 population." Opinion differs on this point, although the newly- drawn -up Tex- as Election Code plainly states that these voters must secure an exemp- tion. Dillon said be even contacted Texas Attorney - General' Will Wil- son on the matter. "Wilson seemed to support the group that says those over 60 don't have to have one," said Dillon. "However, there have been no test cases under the new law and we might have had some trouble if someone ovt'r 60 had decided to run." The special election has been set for May 7 in the city hall, City Manager Ran Boswell said. Two "Contrary to what some people have said, write -in votes will be accepted in the contest," Dillon said. "Also, if someone over 60 receives a majority of votes cast, and he has no. exemption, he will still be the new ward three council- man." Orr, Anderson Confirm Seats; One Is Vacant J. A. Orr and D. A. Ander- son were officially elected to the College Station City Coun- c i 1 yesterday at a special Council meeting for canvass- ing votes of the recent city elec- tion, but the glaring, probleT of what to do about a ward three councilman was not solved. Ernest Seeger, incumbent and unopposed for that seat on the ballot, died last Thursday. Col. Frank H. Mathews received the most write -in votes, but failed to get a margin since the 33 votes were split among six candidates. Declared ineligible for a run- off election were Matt Warman, nine votes; Robert Andrews, five votes and Bill Magee, two votes. Warman and Andrews did not have poll tax receipts or exemptions and Magee could not fulfill the length of residence requirements. Seeger received six votes. "There are two things that I see about this case after careful study," City Attorney C. E. Dillon said. "The Texas Election Code says the winner must have a majority and, after ruling out ineligible candidates, there are only two people who can run." Dillon referred to Col. Mathews and Rev. R. L. Brown. Rev. Brown got two votes. The Battalion .r.-College Station (Brazos County), Texas PAGE 2 Friday, April 12, 1957 Councilman Needed One "third of the residents of College Station do not have full representation on their city government right now. Residents of ward three, that territory north of the campus, on the n"nipus and east of highway 6 to Lincoln St., have only one City Councilman: Alton Boyett. The other post became empty when Sgt. Ernest Seeger died on Thu`ioda'y, before election Tuesday last week. "Sarge was - : b. ed . and; able councilman, and his constituents proyed.thpAr_regard of him when no one filed against him for re- election." His death left a vacancy both on the council and else - where, but the method of picking his successor has stirred up a controversy felt all the way -.to the _office of the state At- torney General Our City Council has now called a special election be- tween two men who received write -in votes. One man got 10 and the other two. Matt Warman, who had nine votes, was first declared ineligible because he had no poll tax receipt or exemption. The city attorney, going by the letter of the new Texas Elec- tion Code, pointed out that even 'voters over 60, as Warman is, must have an exemption. However, the Attorney General, and several others, overruled the city attorney and Warman was declared eligi- ble. Since then he has been visited and "graciously" refused to run. The situation now is this: Twelve voters have selected the men to be in the run -off from ward three. Although the city officials would like to do without the trouble and notoriety of a "test case" to try the new election code, they surely want everyone in the city to be represented as they desire. This they have indicated again and again. Requirements for the office, according to the College Station charter and the State Attorney General, are only that the person must have lived in ward three for two years. Therefore, the citizens of ward three should go to the polls May 7 and vote for the man of their choice, whether his name is on the ballot or not. Even another run -off elec- tion, for lack of a majority, would be better- than dissatis- faction with the representative. whi a 7 h L s: ,The Battalion Coligge Station (Brazos County), Texas PAGE 2 Friday, April 12, 1957 Councilman Needed One third of the residents of College Station do not have full representation on their city government right now. '.Residents of, ward three, that territory north of the campus,�on thecampus and east of highway 6 to Lincoln St., have only one City Councilman: Alton Boyett. The other post became empty when Sgt. Ernest Seeger died on'Thursday'before election Tuesday last week. "Sarge was , *' be4oved and-, able, councilman, and his 'constituents proved_th�ir yegard of him when no one filed against him for � re- election:" His death left a vacancy both on .the `council and else- where, but the metiod picking l -iis successor has stirred up a controversy felt all the way-to the _office of the state At- t torney General. Ou City Council has now called a e election be tween tko men who received write -in votes. One man got 10 i and the other two. Matt Warman, who had nine votes, was first declared ineligible because he had no poll tax receipt or exemption. The city attorney, going by the letter of the new Texas Elec- tion Code, pointed out that even voters over 60, as Warman is, must have an exemption. However, the Attorney General, and several others, overruled the city attorney and Warman was declared eligi- ble. Since then he has been visited and "graciously" refused to run. The situation now is this: Twelve voters have selected the men to be in the run -off from ward three. Although the city officials would like to do without the trouble and notoriety of a "test case" to try the new election code, they surely want everyone in the city to be represented as they desire. This they have indicated again and again. Requirements for the office, according to the College Station charter and the State Attorney General, are only that the person must have lived in ward three for two years. Therefore, the citizens of ward three should go to the polls May 7 and vote for the man of their choice, whether his name is on the ballot or not. Even another run -off elec- tion, for lack of a majority, would be better than dissatis- faction with the representative. �;