1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to certain practices and procedures involved with a 1-3 polling place used in an election. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 43, Election Code, is amended by adding 1-6 Subchapter C to read as follows: 1-7 SUBCHAPTER C. INFORMATION REGARDING LOCATION OF POLLING PLACE 1-8 Sec. 43.061. NOTICE OF CHANGE OF LOCATION OF POLLING PLACE. 1-9 (a) This section applies only to a general or special election 1-10 that is ordered by the governor or the county judge. 1-11 (b) If the location of a polling place changes after notice 1-12 of an election is given under Section 4.003, the county clerk shall 1-13 give notice of the change not later than the earlier of: 1-14 (1) 24 hours after the location is changed; or 1-15 (2) 24 hours before the polls open on election day. 1-16 (c) Notice required by Subsection (b) must be given by: 1-17 (1) notifying each candidate whose name appears on the 1-18 ballot in the election or, in the case of an office filled by 1-19 voters of more than one county, notifying the county chair or, for 1-20 an independent candidate, the county judge of the county in which 1-21 the change occurs; or 1-22 (2) posting the notice in a listing used specifically 1-23 to inform the public of changes to the location of a polling place 1-24 on any Internet website that the county clerk maintains to provide 2-1 information on elections held in the county. 2-2 Sec. 43.062. NOTICE AT PREVIOUS POLLING PLACE. If the 2-3 location of the polling place for an election precinct is different 2-4 from the location used for the precinct in the preceding election 2-5 ordered by the same authority, the authority responsible for giving 2-6 notice of the election shall, if possible, post notice at the 2-7 entrance to the previous polling place stating that the location 2-8 has changed and providing the location of the new polling place. 2-9 Sec. 43.063. USE OF COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION. In an 2-10 election in which detailed poll location information is available 2-11 at a polling place through a computer, an election officer shall 2-12 provide that information to assist voters in determining the 2-13 correct polling place location for the voter's election precinct. 2-14 SECTION 2. Section 62.001, Election Code, is amended to read 2-15 as follows: 2-16 Sec. 62.001. OFFICERS TO ASSEMBLE. (a) On election day, the 2-17 presiding judge and the election clerks the judge assigns to assist 2-18 with preparing the polling place shall meet at the polling place in 2-19 time to prepare it to receive the voters. 2-20 (b) If the polling place is left unattended at any time 2-21 after the preparations for voting begin, the presiding judge shall 2-22 take appropriate steps to provide for the security of the polling 2-23 place. This subsection does not affect the security requirements 2-24 for a polling place after the polls open. 2-25 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001. _______________________________ _______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.B. No. 563 was passed by the House on May 8, 2001, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.B. No. 563 was passed by the Senate on May 23, 2001, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0, 1 present, not voting. _______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________________ Date __________________________ Governor