In its first-ever virtual meeting on March 31, the Killeen Independent School District Board of Trustees voted to postpone the school board trustee and bond election originally scheduled for early May to Nov. 3, 2020.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last month signed a proclamation allowing political subdivisions to postpone their May 2020 local elections due to COVID-19. The trustees elected to push the school district’s election back six months out of an abundance of caution for the public’s health and potential economic concerns.
According to ABC 25, all candidates for the Board of Trustees positions will remain on the Nov. 3 ballot, but the filing deadline will not reopen. All early voting applications will be counted toward the November race, the station also reported.
The voter registration deadline is Oct. 5. The deadline to submit an application for ballot by mail is Oct. 23, and the period for early voting is Oct. 19 through Oct. 30.
A $265 million bond was to be presented to voters in the May 2 election. According to KISD Superintendent Dr. John Craft, the bond election might be cancelled due to economic hardships facing residents.
“As a community we will have to pull together and re-prioritize,” he told KXXV.
Board member Brett Williams suggested the board thoroughly assess “all the impacts on our local economy as a result of COVID-19.”
“I think we need to cease consideration of the bond proposal until we have had an opportunity to thoroughly access any lingering economic issues related to COVID-19,” Williams said, acknowledging such an assessment will not be conducted before the November election.
As of April 9, Texas reported 10,230 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including 199 deaths. Bell County has 74 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Abbott issued a statewide stay-at-home order for April. Killeen ISD classes have been suspended since last month, and Abbott has ordered all schools statewide closed through May 4.
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