May 18, 2021
For Immediate Release:
On May 1, 2021, Pasadena ISD held an election for Positions 1, 2, 3, and 4, of its Board of Trustees. This election was ordered in accordance with the Texas Election Code and was conducted by the Harris County Elections Office, on behalf of Pasadena ISD, according to the District’s contract with Harris County for election services.
While on the evening of May 1, 2021, and into the morning of May 2, 2021, the District received the unofficial results of the election along with all members of the public from Harris County. The District received the official election results from Harris County on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. Under the Texas Election Code, the official election results were required to be canvassed by the District at a meeting no later than Wednesday, May 12, 2021, and the District complied with this requirement.
On May 13, 2021, following the District’s canvass of votes for the May 1, 2021 Election, and before a Certificate of Election was issued by the Pasadena ISD Board President and delivered to any elected candidate, a Petition Requesting a Recount was filed within the two-day deadline outlined in the Election Code in the election for Position No. 2.
The Texas Election Code identifies the Recount Supervisor and Coordinator as the Pasadena ISD Board President and requires their approval of a Petition Requesting a Recount that complies with the Code’s requirements. Therefore, the Pasadena ISD Board President approved the Petition Requesting a Recount on Saturday, May 15, 2021, within 48 hours of receipt of the Petition, and is in the process of ordering the recount in accordance with the Texas Election Code. The ground for the recount request identified in the Approved Petition is the difference between the total number of votes received by the petitioner and the total number of votes received by the prevailing candidate was less than ten percent of the total number of votes received by the prevailing candidate.
Because the Petition met the Election Code’s criteria, the District must hold the required recount, and does not have authority, under the Code, to stop the recount process or prevent a recount from being held. Accordingly, the District will continue to follow all applicable laws and the Board President will order, and hold, a recount for Position No. 2 in coordination with the Harris County Elections Office.
Finally, according to the Texas Election Code, the submission of a Petition Requesting a Recount delays the issuance of a Certificate of Election and prohibits candidate qualification for the office involved in the recount pending completion of the recount, including any compulsory re-canvassing of the votes for that position. This is why the District will not be swearing in any candidate to Position No. 2 during the District’s Board Meeting on Tuesday, May 18, 2021.
Under the Texas Constitution, all public officers shall continue to perform the duties of their offices until their successors shall be duly qualified. Therefore, the current trustee serving in position 2 will remain until the recount is complete and either candidate is duly qualified to take office and assume the duties and responsibilities of this position. The District will take all necessary action after the completion of the recount to swear in the qualified candidate at that time.
Pasadena ISD will continue to follow all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, including those contained in the Texas Election Code, to complete this recount and election cycle. For additional information about the recount process, please see the website for the Office of the Texas Secretary of State at https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/laws/recounts.shtml.