Governor Greg Abbott set the special election runoff date for Texas House District 125 for March 12, 2019 with early voting by personal appearing starting on March 4, 2019. The seat was vacated by (then) Rep. Justin Rodriguez following his appointment as Bexar County Commissioner in January. The 5-way special election was held February 12th, with Ray Lopez (D-San Antonio) and Freddie Rangel (R-San Antonio) emerging as the two frontrunners, neither carrying the district by more than half of the votes cast, forcing a special runoff election. For more Texas state-level election coverage, be sure to visit our blog often or better yet, opt-in to post notifications from the Texas Civil Justice League.

HD 125 Special Election Runoff:  March 12, 2019
HD 125 Special Election Early Voting Begins:  March 4, 2019

TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME:

WHEREAS, the January 4th, 2019 declination of office by Representative Justin Rodriguez has caused a vacancy to exist in Texas State House of Representatives District 125, which is wholly contained within Bexar County; and

WHEREAS, a special election to fill the vacancy in House District No. 125 was held on Tuesday, February 12, 2019, and the results of that special election have been officially declared; and

WHEREAS, no candidate in the special election received a majority of the votes cast, as required by Section 203.003 of the Texas Election Code; and

WHEREAS, Section 2.021 of the Texas Election Code requires that a runoff election be held if no candidate receives the votes necessary to be elected; and

WHEREAS, Section 203.013(e) of the Texas Election Code provides that the runoff election must be held on a Tuesday or Saturday not earlier than the 12th day or later than the 25th day after the date the special runoff election is ordered; and

WHEREAS, Section 3.003(a)(3) of the Texas Election Code requires the special runoff election to be ordered by proclamation of the governor;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GREG ABBOTT, Governor of Texas, under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of Texas, do hereby order a special runoff election to be held in Texas State House of Representatives District No. 125 on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, for the purpose of electing a state representative to serve out the remainder of the full term of office declined by Representative Justin Rodriguez.

Early voting by personal appearance shall begin on Monday, March 4, 2019, in accordance with Sections 85.001(a) and (c) of the Texas Election Code.

A copy of this order shall be mailed immediately to the Bexar County Judge which is the county within which Texas State House of Representative District No. 125 is wholly contained, and all appropriate writs shall be issued and all proper proceedings shall be followed to the end that said special runoff election may be held to fill the vacancy in Texas State House of Representative District No. 125 and its result proclaimed in accordance with law.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and have officially caused the Seal of State to be affixed at my office in the City of Austin, Texas, this the 22nd day of February, 2019.

(signed)
GREG ABBOTT
Governor

Source:  Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott
Originally Published:  February 22, 2019