DeFlock Abilene / Council accountability
October 8, 2026 Abilene City Council vote: motion to reconsider Axon contract failed 4–3. Against reconsideration: Weldon Hurt, Ben Bailey, Lynn Beard, Miguel Espinoza. For reconsideration: Jay Patterson, Shane Price, Travis Craver.
Public vote tracker · October 8, 2026

Who voted on Abilene’s Axon surveillance contract?

A clear record of the council’s reconsideration vote, the earlier Axon approval, and the separate discussion of Flock automatic license plate readers.

Outcome: motion failed, 4–3

The October 8 motion sought to reconsider the September 24 approval of a five-year Axon contract reported at $8,701,111.45. Four council members voted not to reconsider, while three supported reconsideration. That action left the earlier contract approval in place; it was not a fresh vote to approve the entire contract.

Original approval · September 24, 2026

The original Axon contract vote

4–1Reported approval tally

On September 24, the City Council approved the five-year Axon contract. A meeting summary reports a 4–1 vote and identifies Shane Price as the opposing vote. Another independently generated meeting summary reports a different count (3–1); it is therefore important to check the official meeting video (agenda item 6) for the precise roll call and attendance.

Individual ‘yes’ votes are not listed here because the available secondary summaries do not establish a consistent named roll call. The October 8 names below refer only to the subsequent motion to reconsider.

Meet your representatives

Abilene City Council members

Official city portraits, council places and how each member voted on the October 8, 2026 motion to reconsider the Axon contract. This records the reconsideration vote—not each member’s vote on the original contract.

Contact the full City Council[email protected] ↗(325) 676-6200 ↗

Abilene council members serve at large; the place number identifies their council seat, not an exclusive voting district. Photos and places: official City of Abilene council directory ↗. Official city photographs are loaded from the city’s website and require an internet connection.

Individual votes / October 8

How council members voted

4 votes · Against reconsideration

Kept the existing approval in place

  • Mayor Weldon Hurt
  • Ben Bailey
  • Lynn Beard
  • Miguel Espinoza
3 votes · For reconsideration

Wanted the council to revisit the decision

  • Jay Patterson
  • Shane Price
  • Travis Craver
These positions describe the motion to reconsider, not how each member voted on every part of the original Axon package. The individual names are reproduced from local reporting; consult the meeting recording for definitive roll-call confirmation.
Context and chronology

Two meetings. Two different issues.

September 24, 2026

Flock public discussion

Council heard information and public comments regarding the existing Flock automated license plate reader system. The hearing did not result in a vote to remove the existing Flock cameras.

Separate Axon purchase approval

Council separately approved a five-year Axon equipment and evidence-management package, reported as a 4–1 vote. News coverage described 28 pole-mounted cameras capable of license plate reading and livestreaming among the package components.

October 8, 2026

Motion to reconsider fails, 4–3

Council declined to reopen the Axon contract approval. This is distinct from the Flock hearing and does not itself establish a council vote for or against continued use of the existing Flock system.