By Jay Ermis
Candidate filing for the May 8 uniform election begins Monday for the New Waverly and Riverside city councils and the New Waverly school district.
The Huntsville City Council, Huntsville Independent School District and Walker County Hospital District Board of Managers will not hold their 2010 elections until Nov. 2.
Huntsville voters approved an amendment in November 2009 to move the City Council election from May to November and the HISD and hospital district voted to change their elections to November.
The first day to file for the November uniform election is July 25.
Candidates in New Waverly and Riverside have until March 8 to file for a place on the May 8 ballot.
The last day to order a general election is March 8.
The first day to apply for a ballot by mail is March 9; the last day to register to vote is April 8; the first day of early voting is April 26; the last day to apply for a ballot by mail (received, not postmarked) is April 30; and the last day of early voting is May 4.
Two positions are up for election on the New Waverly Independent School District board of trustees, while four at large positions will be on the New Waverly City Council ballot and two at large and the mayor’s positions on the Riverside City Council ballot.
The City of New Waverly and the school district will hold a joint election.
In addition, residents in Emergency Services District No. 2 will vote on a proposal to increase the rate of the ad valorem property tax from 3 cents per $100 valuation to 10 cents per $100 valuation.
ESD No. 2 provides funding for the New Waverly Volunteer Fire Department, which provides fire and EMS first responder service out of its New Waverly and Phelps stations.
New Waverly Fire Chief Jacob Slott said ESD No. 2 encompasses an area stretching from the Montgomery County line through New Waverly to Phelps.
If the proposed increase passes, the ESD plans to build two fire stations in rural areas of the county so that residents can save money on homeowners insurance, according to Slott.
Election clerk Edith Bahner said Positions 6 and 7 will be on the New Waverly school district ballot May 8.
Linda Parrish has held Position 6 since 1999 when she was first appointed. She was elected in 2000 and elected to her first three-year term in 2001.
Jackie Peters was appointed to Position 7 in June 2008 and again in 2009.
This is the first year the position is open to election.
City secretary Rosemary Bartee said four at large positions are up for election on the New Waverly City Council, including Mike Kilgore, Allen Koonce, Nathaniel James and Vince Paulsel.
Kilgore and Koonce were first elected to two-year terms in 2008 and James has served on the council since 2007.
Paulsel was appointed to the council in 1995 and was elected to his first two-year term in 1996. He has served six terms on the council.
Early voting in the two New Waverly elections will be held April 26 through May 4 from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the school district’s administration building.
The City Council will discuss and take action on a proposal to hold early voting from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on April 27 and May 4.
City secretary Joan Harvey said three positions on the Riverside City Council will be on the ballot, including mayor and two at large council members.
Frank Rich is the current mayor. He was appointed to the council in 2001 and appointed mayor in 2004.
Connie Habern holds one of the two council positions. She was elected in 2002, while John Montgomery, elected in 2004, holds the second position.
Early voting will be held March 27 through May 4 at City Hall from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
