Voters in DeSoto faced several decisions as they headed to the polls with 39 different propositions to vote on. There were also two City Council seats on the ballot, Place 2 and Place 4. Results can be viewed on the city’s website and have been certified by the city secretary.
City of DeSoto City Council
DeSoto Place 2:
Gilbert Graim, Jr. – 667 (26.06%)
Pierette Parker – 1,247 (48.73%) – RUNOFF
Emmanuel Johnson – 645 (25.21%) – RUNOFF
Place 4:
Incumbent Andre’ Byrd, Sr. – 2,102 80.32%
Erika Estes – 515 19.68%
City of DeSoto Propositions
Prop A – Passed – General Powers
Shall Article I, Section 3, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to remove the references to outdated State law and reference current State law as it relates to the general powers of the City?
Prop B – Passed – City Boundaries
Shall Article I, Section 6, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to require the City’s
boundaries to be established by ordinance and that the City Secretary shall maintain an official map of the City’s boundaries as required by State law?
Prop C – Passed – Annexation
Shall Article I, Section 7, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to reflect current
State law as it relates to the ability of the City to annex and de annex any property?
Prop D – Failed by 52.63% – Term Limits
Shall Article II, Section 1, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to remove the following language that places term limits on the Mayor and City Councilmembers: “A person who has served as a Councilmember for six (6) or more consecutive years shall not be eligible to become a candidate for, or to serve as, a Councilmember for any place on the City Council, except Mayor, until at least one (1) year has elapsed from the expiration of such person’s previous term of office. A person who has served as Mayor for six (6) or more consecutive years shall not be eligible to become a candidate for, or to serve in, any place on the City Council, including Mayor, until at least one (1) year has elapsed from the expiration of such person’s previous term of office as Mayor?”
Prop E – Passed – Development Corp.
Shall Article II, Section 2, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to delete the reference to the “DeSoto Economic Development Corporation” and the “DeSoto Park Development Corporation,” and replace with the “DeSoto Development Corporation?”
Prop F – Passed – Council Residence
Shall Article II, Section 3, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to comply with State
law by requiring Councilmembers to reside within their representative district 1 year prior
to the date of the election?
Prop G – Failed 53.16% – Mayor Contracts
Shall Article II, Section 7, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to remove the requirement that the Mayor signs all contracts and conveyances entered into by
the City and allow the City Manager to execute contracts and conveyances?
Prop H – Passed – Publish Dates
Shall Article II, Section 10, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to remove the
requirement that the City publish in the official newspaper of the City the official
meeting dates for the City Council?
Prop I – Passed – Open Meetings
Shall Article II, Section 11, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to add the language
“except as otherwise permitted by State law” when referencing that the meetings of the City Council will be open to the public?
Prop J – Passed – Rules of Procedure
Shall Article II, Section 11, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to remove the requirement that the rules of procedure for the City Council must be adopted and readopted at the first meeting following the annual municipal election?
Prop K – Passed – Publishing Ordinances
Shall Article II, Section 13, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to add language “or
as otherwise allowed by State law” when referencing the requirements for publishing
of Ordinances in the newspaper?
Prop L – Passed – Election Requirements
Shall Article III, Section 5, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to require the returns of all municipal elections, canvass of the vote and declaring the results of the election to conform with State law requirements for such?
Prop M – Passed – Runoff Elections
Shall Article III, Section 6, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to add language that reflects State law requirements that the City Council shall order a runoff election to be held not earlier than twenty (20) days nor later than forty-five (45) days after the final canvass of the regular election, or as such other time period as may be prescribed?
Prop N – Passed – Qualified Voters
Shall Article IV, Section 2, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to add language that states “the qualified voters of the City may require that any ordinance enacted by the City Council be submitted to the qualified voters of the City for approval or disapproval and to further clarify what types of ordinances are subject to referendum by adding language that states “the power of referendum shall not apply to ordinances levying taxes, appropriating
money, authorizing the issuance of bonds, zoning, and any ordinance not the proper subject of referendum by the State Constitution or State law”?
Prop O – Passed – Petition Requirements
Shall Article IV, Section 4, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to remove the language requiring the City Secretary to declare invalid any petition that does not have an affidavit attached and requiring the City Secretary to write “D.V.” representing that the person is a disqualified voter and add language requiring the City Attorney to review each petition to determine if it is the proper subject and in proper form?
Prop P – Passed – Recall Petitions
Shall Article IV, Section 7, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to require a petition for
recall to be first filed with the City Secretary and the petition shall name the Mayor or
Councilmember to be removed, contain a statement of the grounds for which the
removal is sought, and require a separate petition for the Mayor or each Councilmember whose removal is sought?
Prop Q – Passed – Recall Requirements
Shall Article IV, Section 8, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to add language to
require the City Secretary to examine a petition for a recall election to determine if it
is signed by the required number of qualified voters and providing for a process for the
petition to be amended within ten 10 days from the date the City Secretary attaches a
certificate to the petition?
Prop R – Passed – Filling Vacancies
Shall Article IV, Section 10, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to add language
that requires a vacancy in office to be filled in accordance with State law and the City
Charter?
Prop S – Passed – Recall Rules
Shall Article IV, Section 11, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to state that no recall election shall be filed against the Mayor or Councilmember within 3 months after such election or appointment to the City Council, and in no case within 3 months prior to the expiration of such person’s term of office?
Prop T – Passed – City Manager Hiring, Firing
Shall Article V, Section 2, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to clarify that the City Manager has the authority to employ and remove employees except those that are appointed by the City Council?
Prop U – Passed – Municipal Judge
Shall Article VI, Section 2, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to require the Municipal Judge and Alternate Municipal Judge to be a licensed attorney in the State of Texas and serve as provided by State law?
Prop V – Passed – Municipal Judge Pay
Shall Article VI, Section 2, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to provide that the
Municipal Judge and Alternate Municipal Judge shall receive compensation as is approved by the City Council?
Prop W – Passed – Budget Proposals
Shall Article VII, Section 2, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to provide that the
budget submitted to the City Council shall contain an itemized list of proposed
expenses by office and department, including a list of capital projects, as compared to actual expenses of the last ended fiscal year and the present year to date?
Prop X – Passed – Budget Language
Shall Article VII, Section 3, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to remove redundant language and state that when the budget is submitted to the City Secretary, it shall be open to the public?
Prop Y – Passed – Budget Hearings
Shall Article VII, Section 4, of the Home Rule Charter be amended to require a public hearing on the budget as required by State law?
Prop Z – Passed – Budget Adoptions
Shall Article VII, Section 5, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to require the process
for the adoption of the budget to reflect State law requirements?
Prop AA – Passed – Monthly Finance Report
Shall Article VII, Section 9, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to require the City
Manager to submit to the City Council each month a report of the financial conditions of
the City in a format and containing such information as required by the City Council?
Prop BB – Passed – Budget Additions
Shall Article VII, Section 10, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to require expenditures that were not included in the original budget to be approved by ordinance prior to the expenditure of such funds, except in the case of emergencies, such expenditure shall be ratified as soon as is reasonably allowed?
Prop CC – Passed – Budget Copies
Shall Article VII, Section 11, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to require a copy of
the budget, as finally adopted to be filed with the City Secretary and such other places as required by State law?
Prop DD – Passed – Fiscal Audit
Shall Article VII, Section 13, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to add language to
require an audit at the close of the fiscal year to be in accordance with applicable auditing
standards by a Certified Public Accountant or a firm of accountants?
Prop EE – Passed – Purchase Procedure
Shall Article VII, Section 14, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to require the
City to comply with State law as it related to the purchase procedure including sealed bids or proposals on specifications for public improvements or purchases?
Prop FF – Passed – Issuing Bonds
Shall Article VIII, Section 1, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to reflect the
requirement under State law as it relates to the ability of the City to issue bonds?
Prop GG – Passed – Bonds on Ballot
Shall Article VIII, Section 2, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to require proposition(s) to issue General Obligations Bonds, payable from ad valorum taxes, to
first be submitted to the voters at an election as required by State law?
Prop HH – Passed – Duplicate Language
Shall Article VIII, Section 5, of the Home Rule Charter, be repealed in its entirety
because it is duplicative language that is contained in Article VIII, Section 1, of the City Charter?
Prop II – Passed – City Taxing
Shall Article IX, Section 1, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to eliminate language that conflicts with State law as it relates to the City’s power to levy taxes and reference that the City will have such authority consistent with the Charter, the Texas Constitution and State law?
Prop JJ – Passed – Tax Due Dates
Shall Article IX, Section 2, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to eliminate language
that conflicts with State law requirements as it relates to when taxes are due and payable
and track State law language as to when taxes are due and payable and provide for
penalty and interest to be assessed on all delinquent taxes in such amounts as may be
authorized by law?
Prop KK – Passed – Eliminate Redundancy
Shall Article IX, Section 3, of the Home Rule Charter, be repealed and reserved for future use to eliminate redundancy with Article IX, Section 2?
Prop LL – Passed – Gender Neutral Language
Shall the following sections of the Home Rule Charter be amended to provide for gender neutral language without any substantive change: Article II, Section 9; Article IV, Section
10; Article V, Section 1; Article V, Section 5; and Article V, Section 6?
Prop MM – Passed
Shall Article IV, Section 7, of the Home Rule Charter, be amended to require a petition for recall to be signed by at least thirty percent (30%) of the number of qualified voters who voted in the last mayoral election?
DeSoto ISD May 2023 Election Results (Unofficial)
DeSoto ISD – Trustee – Place 3
Winner Karen Lacy 61% (1,415)
Marsha Roberson 39% (887)
DeSoto ISD – Trustee – Place 5
Winner Abe Cooper, Jr. 66% (1,502)
David Edgerson 34% (775)
