| TO: | Honorable Larry Taylor, Chair, House Committee on Elections |
| FROM: | John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB2144 by Garza (relating to the use of uniform election dates by newly incorporated municipalities. |
The bill would amend the Election Code to authorize a newly incorporated city to hold the initial election for the members of the governing body on a date other than the uniform election date. The governing body of a newly incorporated city could change the date on which it holds its general election for officers to another authorized uniform election date, not later than the second anniversary of the date of incorporation. The governing body of a city that was newly incorporated between January 1, 2007 and September 1, 2011 could change the date on which it holds its general election for officers to another authorized uniform election date, no later than September 2, 2012.
The bill would amend the Local Government Code to require a newly incorporated municipality to select a uniform election date for the general election of members of the municipality’s governing body no later than the first anniversary of incorporation.
There would be a fiscal impact to local governments associated with an election; however, those costs would vary by locality and are not anticipated to be significant. Based on costs reported to the Secretary of State (SOS) in 2010 by a sampling of counties, municipalities, and special districts, the average cost incurred by a local governmental entity for an election is $1.98 per registered voter.
Bexar County reported the provisions of the bill would not have a significant fiscal impact on the county.
| Source Agencies: |
| LBB Staff: | JOB, JT, JB
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