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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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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 for each political party |
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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 20th 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 for the parties holding a primary |
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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. |