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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to jointly held elections for political subdivisions. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 31.0925(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The governing body of a political subdivision shall |
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request an election services contract with the county elections |
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administrator to perform all duties and functions of the political |
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subdivision in relation to an election that may be transferred |
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under this subchapter [if the political subdivision receives a
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petition requesting the contract signed by a number of registered
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voters residing in the political subdivision that is equal to or
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exceeds one percent of all votes cast in the most recent general
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election held by the political subdivision]. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 271.002(a) and (b), Election Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) If the elections ordered by the authorities of two or |
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more political subdivisions are to be held on the same day in all or |
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part of the same county, the governing bodies of the political |
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subdivisions shall [may] enter into an agreement to hold the |
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elections jointly in the election precincts that can be served by |
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common polling places, subject to Section 271.003. |
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(b) If an election ordered by the governor and the elections |
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ordered by the authorities of one or more political subdivisions |
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are to be held on the same day in all or part of the same county, the |
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commissioners court of a county in which the election ordered by the |
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governor is to be held and the governing bodies of the other |
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political subdivisions shall [may] enter into an agreement to hold |
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the elections jointly in the election precincts that can be served |
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by common polling places, subject to Section 271.003. |
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SECTION 3. Section 271.003(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A regular county polling place shall [may] be used for a |
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common polling place in a joint election. |
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SECTION 4. Section 271.007, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 271.007. BALLOT. Where possible, a [A] single ballot |
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containing all the offices or propositions stating measures to be |
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voted on at a particular polling place shall [may] be used in a |
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joint election. A voter may not be permitted to select a ballot |
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containing an office or proposition stating a measure on which the |
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voter is ineligible to vote. |
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SECTION 5. Sections 31.0925(a) and (c), 42.002(c), and |
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271.002(c), Election Code, are repealed. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |