| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the order of candidate names on an election ballot. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 2.002(d), Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(d) The order of the candidates' names on the ballot shall |
|
|
be the relative order of names on the original ballot [determined by
|
|
|
a drawing in accordance with Section 52.094]. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Sections 52.094(a) and (c), Election Code, are |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, for an election at |
|
|
which the names of more than one candidate for the same office are |
|
|
to appear on the ballot in an independent column or are to appear on |
|
|
a general or special election ballot that does not contain a party |
|
|
nominee, the order of the candidates' names shall be determined by a |
|
|
drawing. The order of the candidates' names on the ballot of any |
|
|
resulting runoff election or election held to resolve a tie vote |
|
|
shall be the relative order of names on the original election |
|
|
ballot. |
|
|
(c) The authority conducting the drawing shall post in the |
|
|
authority's office a notice of the date, hour, and place of the |
|
|
drawing. The notice must remain posted continuously for 72 hours |
|
|
immediately preceding the scheduled time of the drawing[, except
|
|
|
that for a runoff election or an election held to resolve a tie
|
|
|
vote, the notice must remain posted for 24 hours immediately
|
|
|
preceding the scheduled time of the drawing]. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 172.084(a), Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The [Except as provided by this section, the] order of |
|
|
the candidates' names on the runoff primary election ballot for |
|
|
each county shall be the relative order of names on the general |
|
|
primary ballot established by the drawing of candidates conducted |
|
|
under Section 172.082 [determined by a drawing conducted in the
|
|
|
same manner as the regular drawing for position on the general
|
|
|
primary election ballot]. |
|
|
SECTION 4. Sections 172.084(b), (c), (d), and (e), Election |
|
|
Code, are repealed. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |