The Laws of Texas, 1822-1897 Volume 1 Page: 446

Constitution of Coahuila and Texas.
336
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another or others, shall constitute a municipality, and the Ayuntamiento
shall be established at the place most convenient in the opinion of the
executive.
ART. 158. In towns wherein Ayuntamientos cannot be established, and
which are so distant from the other municipalities that the latter cannot
attend to the internal administration thereof, the electoral juntas of that
to which they belong shall choose a commissary of police and a sindico
procurador to discharge the duties assigned them in the regulations for
the political administrations of the towns.
Art. 159. The Ayuntamientos shall be composed of the Alcalde or
Alcaldes, Sindico or Sindicos and Regidores, whose number shall be
designated in the aforementioned regulations.
Art. 160. To be a member of the Ayuntamiento it shall be required to
a citizen in the exercise of his rights, over twenty-five years of age, or
twenty-one being married, an inhabitant within the jurisdiction of the
Ayuntamiento, with three years residence therein, one year immediately
preceding their election, to have some capital or trade whereby to subsist,
and to be able to read and write.
Art. 161. Public officers receiving a salary from the state, military
and other officers of the general government in actual discharge of their
duties, and ecclesiastics, cannot be members of the Ayuntamiento.
Art. 162. The Alcaldes shall all be replaced every year, of the regi-
dores, one half their number, and sindicos procuradores the same, should
there be two; should there be only one he shall be replaced every year.
Art. 163. A person who has performed the duties of said trusts, cannot
hold any other municipal office, or be re-elected to that which he filled,
until after two years from having ceased therein.
Art. 164. The members of the Ayuntamientos shall be chosen by the
municipal electoral meetings, which shall be holden in the same manner
as the municipal meetings established for the election of deputies to
congress. The former juntas shall be convoked on the first Sunday in
December, and they shall meet and perform their duties on the second
Sunday and day following.
Art. 165. Pursuant to said meetings those citizens who have received
the greatest number of votes in the respective lists shall be considered
constitutionally elected as Alcaldes, Regidores and Sindicos. In case of a
tie between two or more persons it shall be decided by lot by the Ayunta-
miento acting at the time of the election.
Art. 166. Should any member of the Ayuntamiento decease, or his
office become vacant from any other cause, the person receiving the high-
est number of votes in the order of the respective list shall succeed him
in the discharge of the duties.
Art. 167. Ayuntamiental offices shall be municipal charges, which no
one can decline.