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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the hours during which the polls are open for early |
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voting by personal appearance. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 12.004(d), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) The [If early voting by personal appearance is required
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to be conducted for extended hours under Section 85.005(c) or for
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weekend hours under Section 85.006(e), the] registrar's office |
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shall remain open for providing voter registration information |
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during the [extended hours or weekend] hours that the main early |
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voting polling place is open for voting. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 85.005(c) and (d), Election Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(c) Voting [In a county with a population of 100,000 or
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more, the voting] in a primary election or the general election for |
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state and county officers shall be conducted at the main early |
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voting polling place from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. [for at least 12
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hours] on each weekday [of the last week] of the early voting |
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period[, and the voting in a special election ordered by the
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governor shall be conducted at the main early voting polling place
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for at least 12 hours on each of the last two days of the early
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voting period. Voting shall be conducted in accordance with this
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subsection in those elections in a county with a population under
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100,000 on receipt by the early voting clerk of a written request
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for the extended hours submitted by at least 15 registered voters of
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the county.
The request must be submitted in time to enable
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compliance with Section 85.067]. |
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(d) In an election ordered by a city, early voting by |
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personal appearance at the main early voting polling place shall be |
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conducted from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. [for at least 12 hours:
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[(1)
on one weekday, if the early voting period
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consists of less than six weekdays; or
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[(2)
on two weekdays, if the early voting period
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consists of six or more weekdays.] |
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SECTION 3. Section 85.006(e), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(e) In a primary election or the general election for state |
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and county officers [in a county with a population of 100,000 or
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more], the early voting clerk shall order personal appearance |
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voting at the main early voting polling place to be conducted from 7 |
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a.m. until 7 p.m. [for at least 12 hours] on the last Saturday and |
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for at least five hours on the last Sunday of the early voting |
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period. [The early voting clerk shall order voting to be conducted
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at those times in those elections in a county with a population
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under 100,000 on receipt of a written request for those hours
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submitted by at least 15 registered voters of the county. The
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request must be submitted in time to enable compliance with Section
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85.007.] This subsection supersedes any provision of this |
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subchapter to the extent of any conflict. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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an election for which early voting begins on or after September 1, |
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2017. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |