By Cain S.B. No. 993 75R4238 GGS-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the election of the office of precinct chair of a 1-3 political party. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 171.022(a), Election Code, is amended to 1-6 read as follows: 1-7 (a) A county executive committee consists of: 1-8 (1) a county chairman, who is the presiding officer, 1-9 elected at the general primary election by majority vote of the 1-10 qualified voters of the county who vote in the primary on that 1-11 office or appointed by the county executive committee as provided 1-12 by this subchapter; and 1-13 (2) a precinct chairman from each county election 1-14 precinct, elected at the general primary by majority vote of the 1-15 qualified voters of the precinct who vote in the primary on that 1-16 office, subject to Section 171.0221, or appointed by the county 1-17 executive committee as provided by this subchapter. 1-18 SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 171, Election Code, is 1-19 amended by adding Section 171.0221 to read as follows: 1-20 Sec. 171.0221. ELECTION NOT HELD FOR OFFICE OF PRECINCT 1-21 CHAIR. (a) If no candidate's name is to be placed on the ballot 1-22 or the list of write-in candidates for the office of precinct 1-23 chair, the election for that office is not held, and the vacancy 1-24 shall be filled in the regular manner. 2-1 (b) If only one candidate's name is to be placed on the 2-2 ballot for the office of precinct chair and no candidate's name is 2-3 to be placed on the list of write-in candidates for that office, 2-4 the election for that office is not held, and the unopposed 2-5 candidate, if otherwise eligible, shall be declared elected to the 2-6 office at the time of the local canvass. 2-7 (c) The county chair shall post the name of a candidate 2-8 declared elected under Subsection (b) at a public place in the 2-9 election precinct. 2-10 SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 171, Election Code, is 2-11 amended by adding Section 171.0231 to read as follows: 2-12 Sec. 171.0231. WRITE-IN CANDIDATE FOR PRECINCT CHAIR. (a) 2-13 A write-in vote for the office of precinct chair may not be counted 2-14 unless the name written in appears on the list of write-in 2-15 candidates. 2-16 (b) To be entitled to a place on the list of write-in 2-17 candidates, a candidate must make a declaration of write-in 2-18 candidacy. 2-19 (c) A declaration of write-in candidacy must be filed with 2-20 the authority with whom an application for a place on the ballot is 2-21 required to be filed for the office. 2-22 (d) A declaration of write-in candidacy is subject to the 2-23 filing deadline and any extension of that deadline applicable to an 2-24 application for a place on the ballot for the office. 2-25 (e) With the appropriate modifications and to the extent 2-26 practicable, Subchapter B, Chapter 146, applies to write-in voting 2-27 for the office of precinct chair. 3-1 (f) The secretary of state shall prescribe any procedures 3-2 necessary to implement this section. 3-3 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 3-4 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the 3-5 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-6 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-7 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-8 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.