| TO: | Honorable Joe Straus, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB719 by Flynn (Relating to polling places for certain elections.), As Passed 2nd House |
The bill would add Section 43.007 to the Election Code to require the Secretary of State (SOS) to implement a program to allow each commissioners court participating in the program to eliminate county election precincts and establish countywide polling places for certain elections. In conducting the program, SOS would be required to provide for an audit of the direct recording electronic voting units. SOS would only select three counties with a population of 100,000 or more and two counties with a population of less than 100,000 to participate in the program. The bill would require SOS to file a report with the legislature not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year.
The bill would add Section 172.127 to the Election Code which would specify content requirements for signs used to identify the location of a polling place during a primary election.
The bill would take effect on September 1, 2009.
It is assumed that any additional costs associated with implementation of the bill could be absorbed within existing state resources.
It is assumed that a commissioners court of a county would elect to participate in the countywide polling place program only if funds are available.
The bill would require signs indicating the location of a polling place holding an election for more than one political party to contain the name or symbol of all or none of the political parties; however, the costs are not anticipated to be significant.
| Source Agencies: | 307 Secretary of State
|
| LBB Staff: | JOB, SZ, KJG, TP, BTA, JM
|