Originally published October 28, 2026. Schedules, voter counts and weather conditions reflect that reporting date.
HOOD COUNTY EXPRESS | THE RECALL LINE
Court Sets Nov. 2 Hearing On Chewning's Recall Election Request
October 28th, 2026AD
By Roger Teague, Staff Writer
Following Granbury's recall from petition to ballot, one stop at a time.
GRANBURY — The 355th Judicial District Court has set a hearing for 1:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, on Kellie Chewning's application for an expedited writ of mandamus in the Granbury recall case. The hearing falls the day before the city's Nov. 3 election.
A notice dated Tuesday, Oct. 27, puts the matter on the court's non-jury docket in Cause No. C2026539 and lists Judge Bryan T. Bufkin. It closes with the name of Penny Weisend, 355th Judicial District. Online, the court's register shows the same Nov. 2 setting.
The notice schedules a hearing only. It does not grant the writ or decide the recall dispute. HCE reported Oct. 26 that it had seen no hearing setting.
Chewning, a recall petition volunteer, filed to intervene in the officials' lawsuit Oct. 19. Mayor Jim Jarratt, Mayor Pro Tem Bruce Wadley and Council Member Gary "Skip" Overdier sued the City of Granbury Oct. 6 to invalidate the recall petitions against them, alleging fraud, forgery and other defects. Those are the officials' allegations; no court has made findings.
WHAT CHEWNING ASKS
Her application, dated Oct. 26, asks the court to issue a writ "commanding the City Council of Granbury to convene and order the certified recall elections to proceed on the next uniform election date," and to act before the Nov. 3 election.
A writ of mandamus is a court order directing a government official or body to carry out a legal duty. Per the officials' lawsuit, the next uniform election date is May 1, 2027.
Its title describes the dispute as "intentional evasion of the recall calendar." That is Chewning's allegation. The hearing notice repeats the title but makes no finding, and no court has tested the claim.
She also alleges that the plaintiffs and the city administration are "deliberately freezing these proceedings" so the Nov. 3 election makes the recall against Overdier "procedurally moot." Overdier is on the Nov. 3 ballot for Place 4, according to the city's election page.
WHAT THE COURT RECORD SHOWS
The court's online register now lists Chewning's application, which HCE could not confirm Monday.
As of 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, the register also lists an intervenor's brief in support and a notice of presentment, both dated Oct. 26, and a notice of appearance for the city dated Oct. 27. It shows no response to the application from the officials or the city, and no order.
The city's Oct. 26 answer asks the court to deny the officials' requests and dismiss their case with prejudice. It was filed before Chewning's application and answers the officials' lawsuit, not her filing.
HCE has not seen the brief, the notice of presentment or the notice of appearance, and has reviewed only the first page of the hearing notice, which is marked as one of two.
TWO DIFFERENT ELECTIONS
The Nov. 3 ballot carries the city election for Council Places 4 and 6. It is separate from any recall election.
Council's Oct. 6 agenda listed an item titled "Notice of Order of Recall Election for May 2027." The minutes record the city attorney saying the election would follow the timelines of the City Charter and state law, and record no vote ordering one.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
355th Judicial District Court, Cause No. C2026539
Monday, Nov. 2
1:30 p.m.
HCE will report on what the court does at the hearing.
