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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the date of the primary election and related |
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procedures. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 41.007(a), (b), and (c), Election Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The general primary election date is the first Saturday |
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[Tuesday] in March in each even-numbered year. |
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(b) The runoff primary election date is the fourth Saturday |
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[Tuesday] in May following the general primary election. |
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(c) The presidential primary election date is the first |
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Saturday [Tuesday] in March in each presidential election year. |
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SECTION 2. Section 141.031(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A candidate's application for a place on the ballot that |
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is required by this code must: |
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(1) be in writing; |
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(2) be signed and sworn to by the candidate and |
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indicate the date that the candidate swears to the application; |
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(3) be timely filed with the appropriate authority; |
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and |
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(4) include: |
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(A) the candidate's name; |
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(B) the candidate's occupation; |
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(C) the office sought, including any place number |
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or other distinguishing number; |
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(D) an indication of whether the office sought is |
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to be filled for a full or unexpired term if the office sought and |
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another office to be voted on have the same title but do not have |
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place numbers or other distinguishing numbers; |
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(E) a statement that the candidate is a United |
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States citizen; |
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(F) a statement that the candidate has not been |
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determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate |
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jurisdiction to be: |
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(i) totally mentally incapacitated; or |
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(ii) partially mentally incapacitated |
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without the right to vote; |
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(G) a statement that the candidate has not been |
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finally convicted of a felony from which the candidate has not been |
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pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities; |
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(H) the candidate's date of birth; |
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(I) the candidate's residence address or, if the |
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residence has no address, the address at which the candidate |
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receives mail and a concise description of the location of the |
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candidate's residence; |
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(J) the candidate's length of continuous |
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residence in the state and in the territory from which the office |
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sought is elected as of the date the candidate swears to the |
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application; |
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(K) the statement: "I, __________, of __________ |
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County, Texas, being a candidate for the office of __________, |
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swear that I will support and defend the constitution and laws of |
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the United States and of the State of Texas"; [and] |
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(L) a statement that the candidate is aware of |
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the nepotism law, Chapter 573, Government Code; and |
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(M) a statement that the candidate is aware of |
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the provisions of Section 65, Article XVI, Texas Constitution. |
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SECTION 3. Section 162.003, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 162.003. AFFILIATION BY VOTING IN PRIMARY. (a) A |
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person becomes affiliated with a political party when the person: |
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(1) is accepted to vote in the party's primary |
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election; or |
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(2) applies for and is provided an early voting or |
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limited primary ballot to be voted by mail. |
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(b) An affiliation under Subsection (a)(2) applies to the |
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voting year in which the primary election is held. |
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SECTION 4. Section 181.0041, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 181.0041. REGISTRATION OF PARTY REQUIRED. A political |
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party that intends to make nominations under this chapter for the |
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general election for state and county officers must register with |
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the secretary of state, in the manner prescribed by the secretary, |
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not later than the regular filing deadline for candidates in the |
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general primary election [January 2 of the election year]. |
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SECTION 5. Section 181.033(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), an application for |
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nomination by a convention must be filed not later than the regular |
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filing deadline for candidates in the general primary election [5
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p.m. on January 2 preceding the convention]. |
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SECTION 6. Sections 181.061(b) and (c), Election Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) A party nominating by convention must make its |
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nominations for offices of districts situated in more than one |
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county at district conventions held on the second Saturday after |
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general primary election day [the second Tuesday in March]. A |
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district convention consists of delegates selected at the county |
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conventions held under Subsection (c). |
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(c) A party nominating by convention must make its |
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nominations for county and precinct offices and for offices of |
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districts not situated in more than one county at county |
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conventions held on the first Saturday after general primary |
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election day [the second Tuesday in March]. A county convention |
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consists of delegates selected at precinct conventions held on |
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general primary election day [the second Tuesday in March] in the |
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regular county election precincts. |
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SECTION 7. Section 182.005, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 182.005. NOMINATIONS MADE BY COUNTY CONVENTION. A |
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political party must make its nominations under this chapter at a |
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county convention held on the first Saturday after general primary |
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election day [the second Tuesday in March of the election year]. |
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The convention consists of delegates selected at precinct |
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conventions held on general primary election day [the second
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Tuesday in March] in the regular county election precincts. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |