AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
H.B. 2027 requires that all elections on uniform election dates in both May and November use the regular county precincts as election precincts and the regular county polling places as election polling places.
The bill creates an exception for elections held on the May uniform election date by a political subdivision that conducted early voting by personal appearance at each permanent or temporary branch polling place on the same days and during the same hours that voting was conducted at the main early voting polling place.
H.B. 2027 seeks to give voters predictability and uniformity in their polling locations.
H.B. 2027 amends current law relating to establishing precincts for elections held on a uniform election date by certain political subdivisions.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 42.002, Election Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c), as follows:
(a) Provides that the county election precincts are the election precincts for the following elections:
(1)-(4) Makes no change to these subdivisions;
(5) as provided by Section 42.0621 (Precincts for November Election), any other election held by a political subdivision on a uniform election date; rather than as provided by Section 42.0621, any other election held on the November uniform election date of a political subdivision, other than a district that is created under Section 52, Article, or Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, and is located in a county with a population of more than 3.3 million or a county adjacent to a county with a population of more than 3.3 million.
(c) Provides that Subsection (a)(5) does not apply to an election held on the May uniform election date by a political subdivision that:
(1) conducts early voting by personal appearance at each permanent or temporary branch polling place on the same days and during the same hours as voting is conducted at the main early voting polling place; or
(2) has not established a permanent or temporary branch early voting polling place.
SECTION 2. Amends the heading to Section 42.0621, Election Code, to read as follows:
Sec. 42.0621. PRECINCTS FOR ELECTIONS HELD ON A UNIFORM ELECTION DATE.
SECTION 3. Amends Section 42.0621(a), Election Code, to require the political subdivisions to which Section 42.002(a)(5) (relating to certain districts using the November uniform election date) applies, in an election held on a uniform election date, rather than the November uniform election date, to use the regular county election precincts.
SECTION 4. Amends Section 43.004(b), Election Code, to require a political subdivision, if the political subdivision holds an election on a uniform election date, rather than the November uniform election date, and is required to use the regular county election precincts, to designate as the polling places for the election the regular county polling places in the county election precincts that contain territory from the political subdivision.
SECTION 5. Effective date: September 1, 2015.