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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to eligibility of voters to sign ballot access petitions. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 172.026, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 172.026. RESTRICTION ON PETITION SIGNER. (a) On |
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signing a petition to be filed under Section 172.021, the signer |
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becomes ineligible to vote in a primary election or participate in a |
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convention of another political party during the voting year in |
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which the primary election is held. |
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(b) This section does not prohibit the signer of a petition |
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to be filed under Section 172.021 from signing a petition under |
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Section 181.006 or 182.004 during the same voting year. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 181.006(f), (i), and (j), Election |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(f) The following statement must appear at the top of each |
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page of the petition: "I know that the purpose of this petition is |
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to entitle the _______ (name of political party) Party to have its |
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nominees placed on the ballot in the _________ (year of general |
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election) general election for state and county officers. [I have
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not voted in a primary election or participated in a convention of
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another party during this voting year, and I understand that I
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become ineligible to do so by signing this petition. I understand
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that signing more than one petition to entitle a party to have its
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nominees placed on the general election ballot in the same election
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is prohibited.]" Listing the name of more than one political party |
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in the blank on the top of a page of the petition invalidates the |
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signatures on that page. |
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(i) Signing a [On signing the] petition is not considered an |
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act of affiliation with the party circulating[, the person becomes
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ineligible to affiliate with another party during the voting year
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in which] the petition [is signed]. |
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(j) The petition may not be circulated before the voting |
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year of the election for which the party seeks to qualify to have |
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its nominees placed on the ballot [until after the date of the
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party's precinct conventions held under this chapter]. A signature |
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obtained [on or] before that voting year [date] is invalid. |
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SECTION 3. Section 182.004(f), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(f) Sections 181.006(f), (i), and (j) [181.006(f)-(j)] |
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apply to a petition circulated under this section. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 181.006(g) and (h), Election Code, are |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |