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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certain ballot access requirements. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 142.007, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 142.007. NUMBER OF PETITION SIGNATURES REQUIRED. The |
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minimum number of signatures that must appear on a candidate's |
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petition is: |
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(1) 500, for a statewide office[, one percent of the
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total vote received by all candidates for governor in the most
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recent gubernatorial general election]; or |
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(2) for a district, county, or precinct office, the |
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lesser of: |
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(A) 100 [500]; or |
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(B) two [five] percent of the total vote received |
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in the district, county, or precinct, as applicable, by all |
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candidates for governor in the most recent gubernatorial general |
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election, unless that number is under 25, in which case the required |
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number of signatures is the lesser of: |
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(i) 25; or |
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(ii) five [10] percent of that total vote. |
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SECTION 2. Section 181.005(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) To be entitled to have the names of its nominees placed |
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on the general election ballot, a political party required to make |
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nominations by convention must file with the secretary of state, |
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not later than the 75th day after the date of the precinct |
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conventions held under this chapter, lists of precinct convention |
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participants indicating that the number of participants equals at |
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least 500 [one percent of the total number of votes received by all
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candidates for governor in the most recent gubernatorial general
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election]. The lists must include each participant's residence |
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address and voter registration number. |
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SECTION 3. Section 181.006(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) A petition must: |
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(1) satisfy the requirements prescribed by Section |
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141.062 for a candidate's petition; |
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(2) contain 500 signatures [in a number that, when
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added to the number of convention participants indicated on the
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lists, equals at least one percent of the total number of votes
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received by all candidates for governor in the most recent
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gubernatorial general election]; and |
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(3) be filed with the secretary of state by the state |
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chair before the deadline for filing the lists of precinct |
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convention participants. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |