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AN ACT
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relating to the selection of election officers for early voting for  | 
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the general election for state and county officers. | 
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       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
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       SECTION 1.  The heading to Subchapter A, Chapter 85,  | 
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Election Code, is amended to read as follows: | 
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SUBCHAPTER A.  TIME AND PLACE FOR VOTING; ELECTION OFFICERS | 
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       SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 85, Election Code, is  | 
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amended by adding Section 85.009 to read as follows: | 
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       Sec. 85.009.  ELECTION OFFICERS FOR GENERAL ELECTION FOR  | 
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STATE AND COUNTY OFFICERS.  (a)  The county clerk shall select  | 
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election officers for the main early voting polling place and any  | 
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branch polling place from a list provided under Subsection (b), in a  | 
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manner that provides equal representation to the extent possible  | 
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for each political party holding a primary election in the county. | 
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       (b)  Before July of each year, the county chair of each  | 
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political party holding a primary election in the county shall  | 
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submit in writing to the county clerk a list of names of persons in  | 
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order of preference for each early voting polling place who are  | 
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eligible for selection as an election officer.  The county chair may  | 
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supplement the list of names of persons until the 30th day before  | 
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early voting begins in case an appointed election officer becomes  | 
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unable to serve.  The county clerk shall appoint the first person  | 
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meeting the applicable eligibility requirements from the list  | 
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submitted in compliance with this subsection by the party with the  | 
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highest number of votes in the county as the presiding election  | 
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officer of that polling place and the first person meeting the  | 
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applicable eligibility requirements from the list submitted in  | 
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compliance with this subsection by the party with the second  | 
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highest number of votes in the county as the alternate presiding  | 
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election officer of that polling place.  The county clerk shall  | 
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appoint additional election officers for each polling place in the  | 
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manner described by Subsection (a).  The county clerk may reject the  | 
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list if the persons whose names are submitted on the list are  | 
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determined not to meet the applicable eligibility requirements. | 
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       (c)  The county clerk, after making a reasonable effort to  | 
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consult with the party chair of the appropriate political party or  | 
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parties, may select election officers for each early voting polling  | 
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place in which a list is not submitted in a manner that attempts to  | 
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ensure equal representation to the extent possible for the parties  | 
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holding a primary election in the county. | 
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       SECTION 3.  Section 85.069, Election Code, is repealed. | 
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       SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. | 
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______________________________ | 
______________________________ | 
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   President of the Senate | 
Speaker of the House      | 
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       I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1434 passed the Senate on  | 
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April 26, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that  | 
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the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 21, 2007, by the  | 
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following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0. | 
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______________________________ | 
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Secretary of the Senate     | 
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       I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1434 passed the House, with  | 
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amendment, on May 17, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 144,  | 
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Nays 0, two present not voting. | 
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______________________________ | 
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Chief Clerk of the House    | 
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Approved: | 
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______________________________  | 
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            Date | 
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______________________________  | 
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          Governor |