BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1913
86R11795 ATP-D	By: Johnson
	State Affairs
	4/25/2019
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

In Dallas, city-wide candidates are consistently being elected by a very small amount of the electorate due to low voter turnout. In fact, a 2015 study by Portland State University looking at who votes for mayor found that Dallas was 50th for voter turnout of the 50 largest cities in the United States. This is likely due to lack of awareness for May elections and changing municipal election locations.

S.B. 1913 would allow for the general election date for Dallas city elections to be moved to the uniform November election date, in both even-numbered and odd-numbered years, which would improve voter awareness and participation. By consolidating elections, voter turnout should increase.

As proposed, S.B. 1913 amends current law relating to requiring certain cities to hold elections on the� November uniform election date.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 41.001(a), Election Code, as follows:

(a) Requires each general or special election in this state, except as otherwise provided by this subchapter (Election Dates), to be held on one of the following dates:

(1) the first Saturday in May in an odd-numbered year, for an election other than an election held by a city with a population of 1.18 million or more, located predominantly in a county that has a total area of less than 1,000 square miles, that has adopted a council-manager form of government, rather than the first Saturday in May in an odd‑numbered year;

(2) the first Saturday in May in an even-numbered year, for an election held by a political subdivision other than a city with a population of 1.18 million or more, located predominantly in a county that has a total area of less than 1,000 square miles, that has adopted a council-manager form of government, or a county, rather than, the first Saturday in May in an even‑numbered year, for an election held by a political subdivision other than a county; or

(3) makes no changes to this subdivision.

SECTION 2.� Amends Section 41.0052, Election Code, by adding Subsection (f), as follows:

(f) Requires the governing body of a city with a population of 1.18 million or more, located predominantly in a county that has a total area of less than 1,000 square miles, that has adopted a council-manager form of government and that holds its general election for officers on a date other than the November uniform election date to, not later than December 31, 2020, change the date on which it holds its general election for officers to the November uniform election date. Provides that this subsection expires January 1, 2021.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2019.