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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the requirements of service and duties of certain |
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election officers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 87, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 87.006 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 87.006. EARLY VOTING BALLOT BOARD MEMBERS: OATH AND |
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IDENTIFICATION. (a) A member of the early voting ballot board |
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shall repeat the following oath aloud: |
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"I swear (or affirm) that I will objectively work to be sure |
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every eligible voter's vote is accepted and counted, and that only |
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the ballots of those voters who violated the Texas Election Code |
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will be rejected. I will make every effort to correctly reflect the |
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voter's intent when it can be clearly determined. I will not work |
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alone when ballots are present and will work only in the presence of |
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a member of a political party different from my own. I will |
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faithfully perform my duty as an officer of the election and guard |
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the purity of the election." |
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(b) A member of the early voting ballot board who arrives |
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after the oath is made shall repeat the oath aloud before performing |
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any duties as a member. |
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(c) Following administration of the oath, each member of the |
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early voting ballot board shall be issued a form of identification, |
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prescribed by the secretary of state, to be displayed by the member |
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during the member's hours of service on the board. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 127, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 127.0015 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 127.0015. CENTRAL COUNTING STATION OFFICERS: OATH AND |
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IDENTIFICATION. (a) Election officers appointed under this |
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subchapter shall repeat the following oath aloud: |
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"I swear (or affirm) that I will objectively work to be sure |
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every eligible voter's vote is accepted and counted, and that only |
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the ballots of those voters who violated the Texas Election Code |
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|
will be rejected. I will make every effort to correctly reflect the |
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voter's intent when it can be clearly determined. I will not work |
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alone when ballots are present and will work only in the presence of |
|
|
a member of a political party different from my own. I will |
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faithfully perform my duty as an officer of the election and guard |
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|
the purity of the election." |
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(b) An officer who arrives after the oath is made shall |
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repeat the oath aloud before performing any duties as an election |
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officer. |
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(c) Following administration of the oath, each election |
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officer shall be issued a form of identification, prescribed by the |
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secretary of state, to be displayed by the officer during the |
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officer's hours of service at the central counting station. |
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SECTION 3. Section 127.004(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) To be eligible for appointment, a person must: |
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(1) have the competence, training, and experience |
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required for the proper performance of the work assigned; and |
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(2) be a registered voter of the political subdivision |
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served by the authority establishing the counting station or an |
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employee of the political subdivision that adopts or owns the |
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voting system. |
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SECTION 4. Section 127.007, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) The plan required under this section must be available |
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to the public on request not later than 5 p.m. on the fifth day |
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before the date of the election. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |