Voters Recall Councilman Harry Thomas in San Angelo

Single-member District 3 voters ousted Councilman Harry Thomas in a November 3 special election over concerns about a proposed data center project.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in City Hall

Voters Recall Councilman Harry Thomas in San Angelo

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Voters in Single-member District 3 recalled Councilman Harry Thomas on November 3, with unofficial results showing 1,605 votes (67.92 percent) in favor and 758 votes (32.08 percent) against. City Council will determine next steps to fill the seat in compliance with state law.

Why it matters

The recall reflects resident concerns about transparency and public engagement surrounding a proposed data center in northeastern San Angelo. It also marks a rare removal of a sitting council member, with the city absorbing the cost of an election that was not in its regular budget.

Unofficial results showed 1,605 votes in favor of the recall (67.92 percent) and 758 against (32.08 percent), with the city clerk certifying 53 valid petition signatures against a required 47. The final tally and the method for filling the seat remain pending certification and council action.

The players

Harry Thomas

Harry Thomas is the San Angelo City Councilman who represents Single-member District 3 and was the subject of the recall.

Tom Thompson

Tom Thompson is the Mayor of San Angelo, who cast the lone vote against ordering the special recall election.

The details

The recall effort, led by the San Angelo Data Center Citizen Coalition, centered on concerns about transparency and public engagement related to a proposed data center project. The City Council voted 6-1 on August 4 to order the special election, with Mayor Tom Thompson casting the sole opposing vote.

May 2023: Thomas was last elected in a regular election with 155 votes cast.
August 4, 2026: City Council voted 6-1 to order the special election.
November 3, 2026: Voters in District 3 held the special recall election.
November 4, 2026: Mayor Thompson issued a statement on the recall result.

Legal Context

Recalls of sitting council members are uncommon in Texas municipalities and require a petition meeting a charter-defined signature threshold. The San Angelo recall followed the charter's requirement of 47 valid signatures, equal to 30 percent of the votes cast in Thomas's May 2023 election.

District 3 residents will be represented by a newly seated council member once the council completes the required steps to fill the vacancy. The additional election cost was not included in the city clerk's regular budget, which may affect city spending.

The takeaway

Recall elections give district voters a direct mechanism to remove a council member between regular elections when a petition meets the charter threshold. Residents tracking local development decisions can follow council agendas to see how public input is handled before votes are taken.

What happens next

City Council will determine next steps to fill the District 3 seat in compliance with state law, and Thomas remains in office until results are finalized.