Nonpartisan* Elections: Local Elections
Local elections are primarily city council or school board elections. Those races are considered nonpartisan – with candidates not running as a member of a political party. *However, often one of the parties is backing a particular group or slate of candidates although candidates are not listed by party on the ballot.
By Texas state law those may be held in May or November. Some Hays County cities have city council elections in May, with school board elections in November. Others have both in May or November. City council elections have a significant impact on the community, even for those who may live outside of the city limits and are unable to vote in city council elections.
Likewise, school board elections have an impact on the communities of students and families they serve. Hays County has four public school districts: Dripping Springs Independent School District, Hays County Consolidated Independent School District, San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District, and Wimberley Independent School District. Boundary lines for school districts are much wider than for city councils and the districts provide educational services to multiple communities.