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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to ballots counted by the early voting ballot board. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 65.051(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The early voting ballot board shall verify and count |
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provisional ballots as provided by this subchapter not later than |
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the 13th [seventh] day after the date of an election. |
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SECTION 2. Section 67.003, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 67.003. TIME FOR LOCAL CANVASS. (a) Except as |
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provided by Subsection (b) [or (c)], each local canvassing |
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authority shall convene to conduct the local canvass at the time set |
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by the canvassing authority's presiding officer not earlier than |
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the eighth day or later than the 14th [11th] day after election day. |
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(b) For an election held on the uniform election date in |
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May, the local canvass must occur not later than the 14th [11th] day |
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after election day and not earlier than the later of: |
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(1) the third day after election day; |
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(2) the date on which the early voting ballot board has |
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verified and counted all provisional ballots, if a provisional |
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ballot has been cast in the election; or |
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(3) the date on which all timely received ballots cast |
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from addresses outside of the United States are counted, if a ballot |
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to be voted by mail in the election was provided to a person outside |
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of the United States. |
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[(c)
In an election described by Section 65.051(a-1), the
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time for the local canvass may be set not later than the 14th day
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after election day.] |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter G, Chapter 87, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 87.127 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 87.127. RESOLUTION OF INCORRECT DETERMINATION BY EARLY |
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VOTING BALLOT BOARD. If a county election officer, as defined by |
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Section 31.091, determines a ballot was incorrectly rejected by the |
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early voting ballot board before the time set for convening the |
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canvassing authority, the county election officer may petition a |
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district court for injunctive or other relief as the court |
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determines appropriate. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |