Round Rock voters are heading into a mayoral race with a legal asterisk. City Clerk Ann Franklin has ruled challenger Kelly Hall ineligible to serve as mayor because of contradictions in his sworn residency filings, yet his name will still appear on the May 2 ballot since the cutoff to remove candidates has already passed. Incumbent Mayor Craig Morgan remains Hall’s lone opponent on the ballot, and city officials say a special election would be required if an ineligible candidate ends up winning.
City clerk’s administrative declaration
Franklin issued an administrative declaration on April 9 after city staff reviewed public records tied to Hall’s earlier paperwork. Her finding states that Hall’s own filings contain conflicting sworn addresses: a December 2025 application to run in Texas House District 19 listed a Cedar Park address, while his Feb. 4 mayoral application swore he had lived in Round Rock for more than a year, according to the City of Round Rock. The city explains that because the deadline to leave an ineligible candidate’s name off the ballot has already passed, Hall’s name must remain on the May 2 ballot. The city’s election page also notes that if an ineligible candidate wins the majority of votes, the office cannot simply pass to the runner-up and a special election would be required.
What triggered the challenge
The city’s finding came after a formal challenge was filed April 6 by a group of former city leaders. Their complaint cited Hall’s earlier Texas House District 19 paperwork and a county verification of his voter registration at the Cedar Park address, and it emphasized that the HD19 filing was a notarized form prescribed by the Texas Secretary of State, according to Community Impact. Hall has said in interviews that he signed a Round Rock lease on Jan. 8, 2025 and that he has turned over the lease and landlord confirmation to the city. He has also said he plans to pursue legal action in response to the city’s rejection of his candidacy.
What the law allows
Under state law, filing authorities have a limited administrative path to declare a candidate ineligible when the proof is already in the public record. Section 145.003 of the Texas Election Code directs those authorities to promptly review candidate applications and declare a candidate ineligible if the candidate’s own paperwork or other public records “conclusively” establish ineligibility. That process helps explain how officials can accept an application, later issue an ineligibility declaration based on the records, and still be stuck with a name printed on the ballot. The governing language on administrative declarations of ineligibility appears in Texas Election Code §145.003.
Reactions and next steps
For voters, the bottom line is that both Hall and Mayor Morgan will be on the ballot May 2. Hall has told reporters he is frustrated that the city first accepted his February filing and later declared him ineligible, and he maintains that he has already provided proof of his Round Rock residence. Morgan, asked about the controversy, replied that “the applications speak for themselves,” according to KXAN. Hall has indicated he will seek legal remedies to challenge the city’s decision, and any court fight could unfold before or after Election Day if the issue is raised during canvass proceedings. City staff are reminding residents that if an ineligible candidate wins, the position would be treated as vacant and filled through a special election.
Voter information
Early voting for the May 2 election runs April 20–28. Voters can find polling locations and ballot details on the City of Round Rock’s election page and through the Williamson County elections office for those who live in that county. Both the city’s site and the county’s election page list early-voting locations, hours, and the composite ballot for the May 2 election.
