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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the conduct of primary elections. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 43.007(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The secretary of state shall implement a program to |
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allow each commissioners court participating in the program to |
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eliminate county election precinct polling places and establish |
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countywide polling places for: |
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(1) each general election for state and county |
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officers; |
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(2) each election held on the uniform election date in |
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May and any resulting runoff; |
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(3) each election on a proposed constitutional |
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amendment; |
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(4) each primary election and runoff primary election |
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if[: |
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[(A)] the county chair or county executive |
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committee of each political party participating in a joint primary |
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election under Section 172.126 agrees to the use of countywide |
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polling places; [or |
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[(B) the county chair or county executive |
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committee of each political party required to nominate candidates |
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by primary election agrees to use the same countywide polling |
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places;] and |
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(5) each election of a political subdivision located |
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in the county that is held jointly with an election described by |
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Subdivision (1), (2), (3), or (4). |
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SECTION 2. The heading to Section 172.126, Election Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 172.126. JOINT PRIMARIES REQUIRED [AUTHORIZED]. |
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SECTION 3. Section 172.126(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The primary elections in a county shall [may] be |
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conducted jointly at the regular polling places designated for the |
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general election for state and county officers. The county clerk |
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shall supervise the overall conduct of the joint primary elections. |
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This section applies to the conduct of joint primary elections |
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notwithstanding and in addition to other applicable provisions of |
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this code. [The decision to conduct a joint general primary |
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election or runoff primary election, as applicable, must be made by |
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majority vote of the full membership of the commissioners court and |
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with the unanimous approval of the county clerk and the county chair |
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of each political party required to nominate candidates by primary |
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election.] |
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SECTION 4. Section 85.0091, Election Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |