81R10122 JRJ-F
 
  By: Ortiz, Jr. H.B. No. 3600
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a program allowing for countywide voting centers as an
  alternative election system.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 43, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 43.007 to read as follows:
         Sec. 43.007.  COUNTYWIDE VOTING CENTERS. (a)  A county may
  conduct its elections under this section as an alternative to the
  general election provisions of this chapter.
         (b)  The secretary of state shall establish rules for
  counties to allow a commissioners court to eliminate county
  election precincts and establish countywide voting centers for:
               (1)  each general election for state and county
  officers;
               (2)  each countywide election held on the uniform
  election date in May; and
               (3)  each election of a political subdivision located
  in the county that is held jointly with an election described by
  Subdivision (1) or (2).
         (c)  The commissioners court of a county that desires to use
  countywide voting centers as an alternative election system shall
  hold a public hearing on the proposed election system change. The
  county shall make a reasonable effort to provide notice of the
  hearing to other political subdivisions within the jurisdiction of
  the county.  A county that has previously used countywide voting
  centers as an alternative election system is not required to hold a
  hearing under this subsection.
         (d)  At the request of the commissioners court, the secretary
  of state may provide for an audit of the direct recording electronic
  voting units before and after the election, and during the election
  to the extent such an audit is practicable.
         (e)  The secretary of state by rule shall require a county
  that desires to use the alternative election system to:
               (1)  implement a computerized voter registration list
  that allows an election officer at the voting center to verify that
  a voter has not previously voted in the election;
               (2)  use direct recording electronic voting machines or
  other state-certified voting equipment that has the appropriate
  capabilities to permit the use of countywide voting centers; and
               (3)  document that the county possesses the appropriate
  technological capabilities as determined by the secretary of state.
         (f)  Each countywide voting center must allow a voter to vote
  in the same elections in which the voter would be entitled to vote
  in the county election precinct in which the voter resides.
         (g)  In selecting countywide voting centers, a county must
  adopt a methodology for determining where each voting center will
  be located.  The total number of countywide voting centers may not
  be less than 50 percent of the number of precinct polling places
  that would otherwise be located in the county under this chapter.
         (h)  A county opting to use this alternative election system
  for the first time must establish a plan to provide notice informing
  voters of the changes made to the locations of polling places under
  the program.  The plan must require that notice of the location of
  the nearest countywide voting center be posted on election day at
  each polling place used in the previous general election for state
  and county officers that is not used as a countywide voting center.
         (i)  In creating the plan under Subsection (h), the county
  may solicit input from organizations located within the county who
  represent minority voters.
         SECTION 2.  Section 32.002, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
         (g)  If election precincts are replaced with countywide
  voting centers under the alternative election system permitted by
  Section 43.007, the commissioners court shall make a reasonable
  effort to appoint the election judges for each voting center from
  among the judges appointed for the precincts located in the area
  served by the voting center.
         SECTION 3.  Section 85.001, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
         (f)  A county that implements countywide voting centers
  under Section 43.007 may extend the early voting period so that the
  period for early voting by personal appearance begins on the 17th
  day before election day and continues through the day before
  election day.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.