Proposed Charter Amendments

May 6, 2023 Election

On May 6, 2023, El Paso voters voted on 11 amendments to change the Home Rule City Charter, which was first adopted in 1917.

View Election Results

On February 7, 2023, the El Paso City Council passed two ordinances: One calling for a special election asking El Paso voters to consider 10 Council-proposed Charter amendments, and one ordering a special election as required by a citizen-led petition:
ORDINANCE NO. 019436 (2023 Special Election: on Charter Amendment Propositions A though J)
ORDINANCE NO. 019437 (2023 Special Election: Citizen-Led Petition to add Climate Policy to the City Charter - Proposition K)

Read the Citizen-Led Petition to add Climate Policy to the City Charter (Prop K)

What is the Charter?

The City Charter is a primary governing document that defines the organization, powers, and functions of city government and is the foundational document of the City, comparable to the constitutions of the State of Texas and United States.

The City of El Paso Charter’s general structure is as follows:

Incorporation and Powers
Nominations and Elections
City Council
Mayor
City Manager
Civil Service
Public Finance
Adoption and Transition

The City Charter was last amended in 2018 - View City Charter

Community Meeting Presentations

The City Council approved placing ten (10) proposed amendments (Propositions A through J) to the City Charter to the May 6 ballot. An eleventh (11th) amendment (Proposition K) was added to the ballot as part of a citizen-led petition to add climate policy to the City Charter. The City’s Community Meetings feature a two-part presentation to help the public understand what is on the ballot. Here are the two parts:

Community Presentation: Part One (Props A-J)

Community Presentation: Part Two (Citizen-Led Petition - Prop K)

2023 Special Election Preparation Sheet: City Charter Amendment

Presentación de Propuestas a la Carta Constitutiva