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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 |
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polling places for certain elections. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 85.009, Election Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 85.009. ELECTION OFFICERS FOR CERTAIN ELECTIONS |
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[GENERAL ELECTION FOR STATE AND COUNTY OFFICERS]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 85.009, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (a-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) This section applies only to a primary election, a |
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runoff primary election, or the general election for state and |
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county officers. |
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(a-1) The county clerk shall select election officers for |
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the main early voting polling place and any branch polling place |
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from a list provided under Subsection (b), in a manner that provides |
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equal representation to the extent possible for each political |
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party 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 30th 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 whose |
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candidate for governor received [with] the highest number of votes |
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in the county in the most recent gubernatorial general election as |
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the presiding election officer of that polling place and the first |
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person meeting the applicable eligibility requirements from the |
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list submitted in compliance with this subsection by the party |
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whose candidate for governor received [with] the second highest |
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number of votes in the county in the most recent gubernatorial |
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general election as the alternate presiding election officer of |
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that polling place. The county clerk shall appoint additional |
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election officers for each polling place in the manner described by |
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Subsection (a-1) [(a)]. The county clerk may reject the list if the |
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persons whose names are submitted on the list are determined not to |
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meet the applicable eligibility requirements. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |