As the Texas Legislative session came to a close this past week, a last-minute amendment was accepted that will allow all the Nocona taxing entities to move their elections to November.
Senate Bill 2620, supported in the House by Rep. David Spiller and in the Senate by Sen. Drew Springer, has been sent to the governor for his signature following the approval of an amendment that included all the local entities, not just the City of Nocona.
The bill gives municipalities in a county with a population less than 20,000 to vote to move their local elections to the November uniform election date. This act would take effect Sept. 1, 2023.
In 2015 the state offered a one-time opportunity for local governments to move their city, school or special district elections from May to November. One of the goals of the original legislation was to allow the entities to share the cost of elections.
In Montague County all the cities, schools and watersheds made the move to November, but the Nocona entities stuck together including the city, school district and hospital district board. Officials at the time thought sharing the cost three ways would work fine, unfortunately that has not been the case as the majority of elections since that time have been uncontested.

Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.