|  | 
      
        |  | 
      
        |  | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED | 
      
        |  | AN ACT | 
      
        |  | relating to nonpartisan primary elections; authorizing a fee. | 
      
        |  | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
        |  | SECTION 1.  Sections 1.005(6) and (14), Election Code, are | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (6)  "General election" means an election, other than a | 
      
        |  | primary election held by a political party under Chapter 172 or a | 
      
        |  | presidential primary election, that regularly recurs at fixed | 
      
        |  | dates. | 
      
        |  | (14)  "Primary election" means, where the context | 
      
        |  | indicates, a general [ an] election held [by a political party under  | 
      
        |  | Chapter 172] to select candidates [its nominees] for public office, | 
      
        |  | and, unless the context indicates otherwise, the term includes an | 
      
        |  | election held by a political party under Chapter 172 to select party | 
      
        |  | officers and a presidential primary election. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.  Section 13.122(a), Election Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  In addition to the other statements and spaces for | 
      
        |  | entering information that appear on an officially prescribed | 
      
        |  | registration application form, each official form must include: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the statement:  "I understand that giving false | 
      
        |  | information to procure a voter registration is perjury and a crime | 
      
        |  | under state and federal law."; | 
      
        |  | (2)  a space for the applicant's registration number; | 
      
        |  | (3)  a space for the applicant's Texas driver's license | 
      
        |  | number or number of a personal identification card issued by the | 
      
        |  | Department of Public Safety; | 
      
        |  | (4)  a space for the applicant's telephone number; | 
      
        |  | (5)  a space for the applicant's social security | 
      
        |  | number; | 
      
        |  | (6)  a space for the applicant's sex; | 
      
        |  | (7)  a statement indicating that the furnishing of the | 
      
        |  | applicant's telephone number and sex is optional; | 
      
        |  | (8)  a space or box for indicating whether the | 
      
        |  | applicant or voter is submitting new registration information or a | 
      
        |  | change in current registration information; | 
      
        |  | (9)  a statement instructing a voter who is using the | 
      
        |  | form to make a change in current registration information to enter | 
      
        |  | the voter's name and the changed information in the appropriate | 
      
        |  | spaces on the form; | 
      
        |  | (10)  a statement that if the applicant declines to | 
      
        |  | register to vote, that fact will remain confidential and will be | 
      
        |  | used only for voter registration purposes; | 
      
        |  | (11)  a statement that if the applicant does register | 
      
        |  | to vote, information regarding the agency or office to which the | 
      
        |  | application is submitted will remain confidential and will be used | 
      
        |  | only for voter registration purposes; | 
      
        |  | (12)  a space or box for indicating whether the | 
      
        |  | applicant is interested in working as an election judge; | 
      
        |  | (13)  a statement warning that a conviction for making | 
      
        |  | a false statement may result in imprisonment for up to the maximum | 
      
        |  | amount of time provided by law, a fine of up to the maximum amount | 
      
        |  | provided by law, or both the imprisonment and the fine; | 
      
        |  | (14)  a space or box for indicating the applicant's | 
      
        |  | party affiliation or alignment, if any; and | 
      
        |  | (15) [ (14)]  any other voter registration information | 
      
        |  | required by federal law or considered appropriate and required by | 
      
        |  | the secretary of state. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.  Section 31.032(a), Election Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  The position of county elections administrator is | 
      
        |  | filled by appointment of the county election commission, which | 
      
        |  | consists of: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the county judge, as chair; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the county clerk, as vice chair; | 
      
        |  | (3)  the county tax assessor-collector, as secretary; | 
      
        |  | and | 
      
        |  | (4)  the county chair of each political party that | 
      
        |  | holds a [ made nominations by] primary election in the year [for the  | 
      
        |  | last general election for state and county officers] preceding the | 
      
        |  | date of the meeting at which the appointment is made. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 4.  Section 31.124(b), Election Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (b)  A county election officer of each county shall deliver | 
      
        |  | written notice of the time and place of the meeting required by | 
      
        |  | Subsection (a) not later than 72 hours before the meeting date to | 
      
        |  | the county chair of each political party that made nominations in | 
      
        |  | the most recent presidential [ by] primary election [for the general  | 
      
        |  | election for state and county officers] preceding the date of the | 
      
        |  | meeting. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 5.  Section 31.153(a), Election Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  The joint elections commission consists of: | 
      
        |  | (1)  from each county that has adopted an order to have | 
      
        |  | its elections conducted by the joint elections administrator, the | 
      
        |  | county judge, county clerk, and county tax assessor-collector; | 
      
        |  | (2)  from each county described in Subdivision (1), the | 
      
        |  | county chair of each political party that made nominations in the | 
      
        |  | most recent presidential [ by] primary election [for the last  | 
      
        |  | general election for state and county officers] preceding the date | 
      
        |  | of the meeting at which the appointment is made; and | 
      
        |  | (3)  a representative from each participating entity | 
      
        |  | other than a county. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 6.  Section 32.002(c), Election Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (c)  The presiding judge and alternate presiding judge must | 
      
        |  | be affiliated or aligned with different political parties, subject | 
      
        |  | to this subsection.  Before July of each year in a county to which | 
      
        |  | Subsection (a)(1) applies or before August of each year in a county | 
      
        |  | to which Subsection (a)(2) applies, the county chair of a political | 
      
        |  | party whose candidate for president [ governor] received the highest | 
      
        |  | or second highest number of votes in the county in the most recent | 
      
        |  | presidential [ gubernatorial] general election shall submit in | 
      
        |  | writing to the commissioners court a list of names of persons in | 
      
        |  | order of preference for each precinct who are eligible for | 
      
        |  | appointment as an election judge.  The county chair may supplement | 
      
        |  | the list of names of persons until the 20th day before a general | 
      
        |  | election or the 15th day before a special election in case an | 
      
        |  | appointed election judge becomes unable to serve.  The | 
      
        |  | commissioners court shall appoint the first person meeting the | 
      
        |  | applicable eligibility requirements from the list submitted in | 
      
        |  | compliance with this subsection by the party with the highest | 
      
        |  | number of votes in the precinct in the most recent presidential | 
      
        |  | general election as the presiding judge and the first person | 
      
        |  | meeting the applicable eligibility requirements from the list | 
      
        |  | submitted in compliance with this subsection by the party with the | 
      
        |  | second highest number of votes in the precinct as the alternate | 
      
        |  | presiding judge. If the candidates for president [ governor] of two | 
      
        |  | political parties received the same number of votes in the | 
      
        |  | precinct, the first person meeting the applicable eligibility | 
      
        |  | requirements from the list submitted by the party whose candidate | 
      
        |  | for president [ governor] received the highest number of votes in | 
      
        |  | the county shall be appointed as the presiding judge and the first | 
      
        |  | person meeting the applicable eligibility requirements from the | 
      
        |  | list submitted by the party whose candidate for president | 
      
        |  | [ governor] received the second highest number of votes in the | 
      
        |  | county shall be appointed as the alternate presiding judge.  The | 
      
        |  | commissioners court may reject the list if the persons whose names | 
      
        |  | are submitted on the list are determined not to meet the applicable | 
      
        |  | eligibility requirements. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 7.  Sections 32.034(b) and (e), Election Code, are | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (b)  The county chair of a political party whose candidate | 
      
        |  | for president [ governor] received the highest or second highest | 
      
        |  | number of votes in the county in the most recent presidential | 
      
        |  | [ gubernatorial] general election may, not later than the 25th day | 
      
        |  | before a general election or the 10th day before a special election | 
      
        |  | to which Subsection (a) applies, submit to a presiding judge a list | 
      
        |  | containing the names of at least two persons who are eligible for | 
      
        |  | appointment as a clerk. If a timely list is submitted, the presiding | 
      
        |  | judge shall appoint at least one clerk from the list, except as | 
      
        |  | provided by Subsection (c). | 
      
        |  | (e)  If a presiding judge has not been appointed at the time | 
      
        |  | the county chair of a political party is required to submit a list | 
      
        |  | of names for the appointment of a clerk under this section, the list | 
      
        |  | of names shall be submitted to the county chair of the political | 
      
        |  | party whose candidate for president [ governor] received the most | 
      
        |  | votes in the precinct in the most recent presidential | 
      
        |  | [ gubernatorial] election and to the commissioners court.  The | 
      
        |  | county chair, or the commissioners court in a county without a | 
      
        |  | county chair, shall appoint clerks from the list in the same manner | 
      
        |  | provided for a presiding judge to appoint clerks by this section. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 8.  Sections 41.007(a) and (b), Election Code, are | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  The date for the general primary election and for a | 
      
        |  | primary election held by a political party under Chapter 172 [ date] | 
      
        |  | is the first Tuesday in March in each even-numbered year. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The runoff [ primary] election date for a primary | 
      
        |  | election held by a political party under Chapter 172 is the fourth | 
      
        |  | Tuesday in May following the general primary election. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 9.  Section 51.002(b), Election Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (b)  For the general election for state and county officers | 
      
        |  | and for a special election for an officer regularly elected at the | 
      
        |  | general election, the county election board consists of the county | 
      
        |  | judge, county clerk, voter registrar, sheriff, and county chair of | 
      
        |  | each political party that holds a [ required to nominate candidates  | 
      
        |  | by] primary election.  For other elections, the board consists of | 
      
        |  | the county judge, county clerk, voter registrar, and sheriff. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 10.  Section 52.091(b), Election Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (b)  Columns of parties specified by Subsection (a)(1) shall | 
      
        |  | be arranged in descending order of the number of votes received | 
      
        |  | statewide by each party's candidate for president [ governor] in the | 
      
        |  | most recent presidential [ gubernatorial] general election, | 
      
        |  | beginning on the left with the party whose candidate received the | 
      
        |  | highest number of votes. Columns of parties that did not have a | 
      
        |  | candidate for president [ governor] in the most recent presidential | 
      
        |  | [ gubernatorial] general election shall appear after the columns of | 
      
        |  | parties that had a candidate, and the order of their columns shall | 
      
        |  | be determined by a drawing conducted by the secretary of state. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 11.  Section 85.062(e), Election Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (e)  In an election covered by Subsection (d), a temporary | 
      
        |  | branch polling place that is movable may be established only with | 
      
        |  | the approval of the county clerk. If a movable temporary branch | 
      
        |  | polling place is established on the request of a political party, | 
      
        |  | each other political party whose nominee for president [ governor] | 
      
        |  | in the most recent presidential [ gubernatorial] general election | 
      
        |  | received more than 10 percent of the total number of votes received | 
      
        |  | by all candidates for president [ governor] in the election is | 
      
        |  | entitled to establishment of such a polling place. The election | 
      
        |  | officers serving a polling place covered by this subsection must be | 
      
        |  | affiliated or aligned with different political parties to the | 
      
        |  | extent possible. The secretary of state, after consulting the state | 
      
        |  | chair of each affected political party, shall prescribe the | 
      
        |  | procedures necessary to implement this subsection. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 12.  Sections 87.002(c) and (d), Election Code, are | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (c)  In the general election for state and county officers, | 
      
        |  | each county chair of a political party with an affiliated candidate | 
      
        |  | [ nominees] on the general election ballot shall submit to the | 
      
        |  | county election board a list of names of persons eligible to serve | 
      
        |  | on the early voting ballot board.  The county election board shall | 
      
        |  | appoint at least one person from each list to serve as a member of | 
      
        |  | the early voting ballot board.  The same number of members must be | 
      
        |  | appointed from each list. | 
      
        |  | (d)  In addition to the members appointed under Subsection | 
      
        |  | (c), the county election board shall appoint the presiding judge | 
      
        |  | from the list provided under that subsection by the political party | 
      
        |  | whose nominee for president [ governor] received the most votes in | 
      
        |  | the county in the most recent presidential [ gubernatorial] general | 
      
        |  | election. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 13.  Section 87.027(d), Election Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (d)  The early voting clerk shall determine the number of | 
      
        |  | members who are to compose the signature verification committee and | 
      
        |  | shall state that number in the order calling for the committee's | 
      
        |  | appointment. A committee must consist of not fewer than five | 
      
        |  | members. In an election in which party alignment is indicated on the | 
      
        |  | ballot, each county chair of a political party with a nominee or | 
      
        |  | aligned candidate on the ballot shall submit to the appointing | 
      
        |  | authority a list of names of persons eligible to serve on the | 
      
        |  | signature verification committee. The authority shall appoint at | 
      
        |  | least two persons from each list to serve as members of the | 
      
        |  | committee. The same number of members must be appointed from each | 
      
        |  | list. The authority shall appoint the chair of the committee from | 
      
        |  | the list provided by the political party whose nominee for | 
      
        |  | president [ governor] received the most votes in the county in the | 
      
        |  | most recent presidential [ gubernatorial] general election. A | 
      
        |  | vacancy on the committee shall be filled by appointment from the | 
      
        |  | original list or from a new list submitted by the appropriate county | 
      
        |  | chair. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 14.  Section 141.001(a), Election Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  To be eligible to be a candidate for, or elected or | 
      
        |  | appointed to, a public elective office in this state, a person must: | 
      
        |  | (1)  be a United States citizen; | 
      
        |  | (2)  be 18 years of age or older on the first day of the | 
      
        |  | term to be filled at the election or on the date of appointment, as | 
      
        |  | applicable; | 
      
        |  | (3)  have not been determined by a final judgment of a | 
      
        |  | court exercising probate jurisdiction to be: | 
      
        |  | (A)  totally mentally incapacitated; or | 
      
        |  | (B)  partially mentally incapacitated without the | 
      
        |  | right to vote; | 
      
        |  | (4)  have not been finally convicted of a felony from | 
      
        |  | which the person has not been pardoned or otherwise released from | 
      
        |  | the resulting disabilities; | 
      
        |  | (5)  have resided continuously in the state for 12 | 
      
        |  | months and in the territory from which the office is elected for six | 
      
        |  | months immediately preceding the following date: | 
      
        |  | (A)  for a candidate whose name is to appear on a | 
      
        |  | general primary election ballot, the date of the regular filing | 
      
        |  | deadline for a candidate's application for a place on the ballot; | 
      
        |  | (B)  for a [ an independent] candidate for office | 
      
        |  | in an election where candidates are not nominated by primary | 
      
        |  | election, the date of the regular filing deadline for a candidate's | 
      
        |  | application for a place on the ballot; | 
      
        |  | (C)  for a write-in candidate, the date of the | 
      
        |  | election at which the candidate's name is written in; | 
      
        |  | (D)  for a party nominee who is nominated by any | 
      
        |  | method other than by primary election, the date the nomination is | 
      
        |  | made; and | 
      
        |  | (E)  for an appointee to an office, the date the | 
      
        |  | appointment is made; | 
      
        |  | (6)  on the date described by Subdivision (5), be | 
      
        |  | registered to vote in the territory from which the office is | 
      
        |  | elected; and | 
      
        |  | (7)  satisfy any other eligibility requirements | 
      
        |  | prescribed by law for the office. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 15.  Subchapter A, Chapter 141, Election Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended by adding Sections 141.005 and 141.006 to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 141.005.  PRIMARY ELECTION REQUIRED.  (a) Except as | 
      
        |  | otherwise provided by this code, candidates in the general election | 
      
        |  | for offices of state and county government and the United States | 
      
        |  | Congress must be chosen by primary election as provided by this | 
      
        |  | code. | 
      
        |  | (b)  All eligible voters may vote in a primary election | 
      
        |  | described by this section without regard to political party | 
      
        |  | alignment. | 
      
        |  | (c)  A political party or state executive committee may not | 
      
        |  | nominate candidates in the general election for offices of state | 
      
        |  | and county government and the United States Congress.  This | 
      
        |  | subsection may not be interpreted to prohibit a political party or | 
      
        |  | state executive committee from endorsing, supporting, or opposing | 
      
        |  | those candidates. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules to implement | 
      
        |  | this section. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 141.006.  DETERMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR GENERAL | 
      
        |  | ELECTION.  (a)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, | 
      
        |  | the two candidates who receive the highest and second highest | 
      
        |  | number of votes in a primary election held to choose candidates for | 
      
        |  | the general election for offices of state and county government and | 
      
        |  | the United States Congress are the candidates for that election. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules to implement | 
      
        |  | this section. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 16.  Subchapter B, Chapter 141, Election Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended by adding Section 141.030 to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 141.030.  APPLICATION REQUIRED.  (a)  To be entitled to | 
      
        |  | a place on the general primary election ballot under Section | 
      
        |  | 141.005, a candidate must make an application for a place on the | 
      
        |  | ballot. | 
      
        |  | (b)  An application must, in addition to complying with | 
      
        |  | Section 141.031, be accompanied by the appropriate filing fee or a | 
      
        |  | petition in lieu of the filing fee that satisfies the requirements | 
      
        |  | prescribed by Section 141.062. | 
      
        |  | (c)  A candidate may indicate the candidate's party | 
      
        |  | affiliation or alignment, if any, on the application. | 
      
        |  | (d)  An application filed by mail is considered to be filed | 
      
        |  | at the time of its receipt by the appropriate authority. | 
      
        |  | (e)  The circulation of a petition to be filed under this | 
      
        |  | subchapter in connection with a candidate's application for a place | 
      
        |  | on the ballot does not constitute candidacy or an announcement of | 
      
        |  | candidacy for purposes of the automatic resignation provisions of | 
      
        |  | Section 65, Article XVI, or Section 11, Article XI, Texas | 
      
        |  | Constitution. | 
      
        |  | (f)  A candidate for an office specified by Section | 
      
        |  | 141.0315(a)(8), (10), or (12), or for justice of the peace in a | 
      
        |  | county with a population of more than 1.5 million, who chooses to | 
      
        |  | pay the filing fee must also accompany the application with a | 
      
        |  | petition for a place on the primary ballot as a candidate for | 
      
        |  | judicial office that complies with the requirements prescribed for | 
      
        |  | the petition authorized by Subsection (b), except that the minimum | 
      
        |  | number of signatures that must appear on the petition required by | 
      
        |  | this subsection is 250.  If the candidate chooses to file the | 
      
        |  | petition authorized by Subsection (b) in lieu of the filing fee, the | 
      
        |  | minimum number of signatures required for that petition is | 
      
        |  | increased by 250.  Signatures on a petition filed under this | 
      
        |  | subsection or Subsection (b) by a candidate covered by this | 
      
        |  | subsection may not be obtained on the grounds of a county courthouse | 
      
        |  | or courthouse annex. | 
      
        |  | (g)  A candidate for the office of chief justice or justice, | 
      
        |  | supreme court, or presiding judge or judge, court of criminal | 
      
        |  | appeals, who chooses to pay the filing fee must also accompany the | 
      
        |  | application with a petition that complies with the requirements | 
      
        |  | prescribed for a petition authorized by Subsection (b), except that | 
      
        |  | the minimum number of signatures that must appear on the petition | 
      
        |  | required by this subsection is 50 from each court of appeals | 
      
        |  | district. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 17.  Section 172.024, Election Code, is transferred | 
      
        |  | to Subchapter B, Chapter 141, Election Code, and redesignated as | 
      
        |  | Section 141.0315, Election Code, to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 141.0315 [ 172.024].  FILING FEE.  (a)  The filing fee | 
      
        |  | for a candidate for nomination in the general primary election is as | 
      
        |  | follows: | 
      
        |  | (1)  United States senator$5,000 | 
      
        |  | (2)  office elected statewide, except United States | 
      
        |  | senator3,750 | 
      
        |  | (3)  United States representative3,125 | 
      
        |  | (4)  state senator1,250 | 
      
        |  | (5)  state representative750 | 
      
        |  | (6)  member, State Board of Education300 | 
      
        |  | (7)  chief justice or justice, court of appeals, other | 
      
        |  | than a justice specified by Subdivision (8)1,875 | 
      
        |  | (8)  chief justice or justice of a court of appeals that | 
      
        |  | serves a court of appeals district in which a county with a | 
      
        |  | population of more than one million is wholly or partly | 
      
        |  | situated2,500 | 
      
        |  | (9)  district judge or judge specified by Section | 
      
        |  | 52.092(d) for which this schedule does not otherwise prescribe a | 
      
        |  | fee1,500 | 
      
        |  | (10)  district or criminal district judge of a court in | 
      
        |  | a judicial district wholly contained in a county with a population | 
      
        |  | of more than 1.5 million2,500 | 
      
        |  | (11)  judge, statutory county court, other than a judge | 
      
        |  | specified by Subdivision (12)1,500 | 
      
        |  | (12)  judge of a statutory county court in a county with | 
      
        |  | a population of more than 1.5 million2,500 | 
      
        |  | (13)  district attorney, criminal district attorney, | 
      
        |  | or county attorney performing the duties of a district | 
      
        |  | attorney1,250 | 
      
        |  | (14)  county commissioner, district clerk, county | 
      
        |  | clerk, sheriff, county tax assessor-collector, county treasurer, | 
      
        |  | or judge, constitutional county court: | 
      
        |  | (A)  county with a population of 200,000 or | 
      
        |  | more1,250 | 
      
        |  | (B)  county  with  a  population of under | 
      
        |  | 200,000750 | 
      
        |  | (15)  justice of the peace or constable: | 
      
        |  | (A)  county with a population of 200,000 or | 
      
        |  | more1,000 | 
      
        |  | (B)  county  with a  population of under | 
      
        |  | 200,000375 | 
      
        |  | (16)  county surveyor75 | 
      
        |  | (17)  office of the county government for which this | 
      
        |  | schedule does not otherwise prescribe a fee750 | 
      
        |  | (b)  If a fee prescribed by Subsection (a) is declared | 
      
        |  | invalid by a final judgment of a court, the secretary of state shall | 
      
        |  | prescribe a filing fee consistent with the judgment to replace the | 
      
        |  | invalidated fee. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 18.  Subchapter B, Chapter 141, Election Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended by adding Section 141.0316 to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 141.0316.  NUMBER OF PETITION SIGNATURES REQUIRED.  The | 
      
        |  | minimum number of signatures that must appear on the petition | 
      
        |  | authorized by Section 141.030(b) is: | 
      
        |  | (1)  5,000, for a statewide office; or | 
      
        |  | (2)  for a district, county, or precinct office, the | 
      
        |  | lesser of: | 
      
        |  | (A)  500; or | 
      
        |  | (B)  two percent of the total vote received in the | 
      
        |  | district, county, or precinct, as applicable, by all the candidates | 
      
        |  | for governor in the most recent gubernatorial general election, | 
      
        |  | unless that number is under 50, in which case the required number of | 
      
        |  | signatures is the lesser of: | 
      
        |  | (i)  50; or | 
      
        |  | (ii)  20 percent of that total vote. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 19.  Section 141.039, Election Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 141.039.  OFFICIAL APPLICATION FORM.  In addition to | 
      
        |  | the other statements and spaces for entering information that | 
      
        |  | appear on an officially prescribed form for an application for a | 
      
        |  | place on the ballot, each official form for an application that a | 
      
        |  | candidate is required to file under this code must include: | 
      
        |  | (1)  a space for indicating the form in which the | 
      
        |  | candidate's name is to appear on the ballot; | 
      
        |  | (2)  a space for the candidate's public mailing | 
      
        |  | address; | 
      
        |  | (3)  spaces for the candidate's home and office | 
      
        |  | telephone numbers and e-mail address at which the candidate | 
      
        |  | receives correspondence relating to the candidate's campaign; | 
      
        |  | [ and] | 
      
        |  | (4)  a statement informing candidates that the | 
      
        |  | furnishing of the telephone numbers is optional; and | 
      
        |  | (5)  in an election where nominating partisan | 
      
        |  | candidates is authorized, space for the candidate to list a party | 
      
        |  | affiliation. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 20.  Section 141.070(a), Election Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  If, since the most recent presidential [ gubernatorial] | 
      
        |  | general election, a district or precinct from which an officer of | 
      
        |  | the federal, state, or county government is elected is created or | 
      
        |  | has had its boundary changed, the number of votes received in the | 
      
        |  | district or precinct by a political party's presidential | 
      
        |  | [ gubernatorial] candidate or by all the presidential | 
      
        |  | [ gubernatorial] candidates shall be estimated, as provided by this | 
      
        |  | section, for the purpose of computing the number of signatures | 
      
        |  | required on a candidate's petition. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 21.  Section 145.001(e), Election Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (e)  This section does not apply to a candidate: | 
      
        |  | (1)  for president or vice-president of the United | 
      
        |  | States; or | 
      
        |  | (2)  chosen by general primary election. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 22.  Sections 145.003(b) and (h), Election Code, are | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (b)  A candidate in the general election for state and county | 
      
        |  | officers may be declared ineligible before the 30th day preceding | 
      
        |  | election day by[ : | 
      
        |  | [ (1)  the party officer responsible for certifying the  | 
      
        |  | candidate's name for placement on the general election ballot, in  | 
      
        |  | the case of a candidate who is a political party's nominee; or | 
      
        |  | [ (2)] the authority with whom the candidate's | 
      
        |  | application for a place on the ballot is required to be filed[ , in  | 
      
        |  | the case of an independent candidate]. | 
      
        |  | (h)  If a candidate is declared ineligible [ after the  | 
      
        |  | deadline for omitting an ineligible candidate's name from the  | 
      
        |  | ballot], the authority making the declaration shall promptly | 
      
        |  | certify in writing the declaration of ineligibility to the | 
      
        |  | canvassing authority for the election. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 23.  The heading to Subchapter D, Chapter 145, | 
      
        |  | Election Code, is amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | SUBCHAPTER D. CANDIDATE IN ELECTION IN WHICH CANDIDATES ARE NOT | 
      
        |  | CHOSEN BY [ OTHER THAN] GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION [FOR STATE AND  | 
      
        |  | COUNTY OFFICERS] | 
      
        |  | SECTION 24.  Section 146.0231(a), Election Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  The filing fee for a write-in candidate is the amount | 
      
        |  | prescribed by Section 141.0315 [ 172.024] for a candidate [for  | 
      
        |  | nomination] for the same office in a general primary election. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 25.  Section 146.0232, Election Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 146.0232.  NUMBER OF PETITION SIGNATURES REQUIRED.  The | 
      
        |  | minimum number of signatures that must appear on the petition | 
      
        |  | authorized by Section 146.023(b) is the number prescribed by | 
      
        |  | Section 141.0316 [ 172.025] to appear on a petition of a candidate | 
      
        |  | [ for nomination] for the same office in a general primary election. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 26.  Chapter 161, Election Code, is amended by | 
      
        |  | adding Section 161.0035 to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 161.0035.  PARTY PRIMARY ELECTIONS.  In this title, any | 
      
        |  | reference to a general primary election, primary election, or | 
      
        |  | nominating convention means an election or convention restricted to | 
      
        |  | the selection of: | 
      
        |  | (1)  party officers; or | 
      
        |  | (2)  a party's nominees for president or | 
      
        |  | vice-president. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 27.  Section 163.006(d), Election Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (d)  Before January 15 of each year in which political | 
      
        |  | parties hold precinct conventions under this title, the secretary | 
      
        |  | of state shall deliver written notice of the requirements of this | 
      
        |  | section to the state chair of each party that had a nominee for | 
      
        |  | president or vice-president [ a statewide or district office] on the | 
      
        |  | most recent general election ballot. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 28.  The heading to Subtitle B, Title 10, Election | 
      
        |  | Code, is amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | SUBTITLE B. PARTIES SELECTING PARTY OFFICERS [ NOMINATING] BY | 
      
        |  | PRIMARY ELECTION | 
      
        |  | SECTION 29.  Section 172.002(c), Election Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (c)  For a political party to be entitled to hold a primary | 
      
        |  | election [ under this section], the state chair, not later than one | 
      
        |  | year before general election day, must deliver written notice to | 
      
        |  | the secretary of state that the party will hold a primary election | 
      
        |  | in the general election year. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 30.  Section 172.021(e), Election Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (e)  A candidate for an office specified by Section | 
      
        |  | 141.0315(a)(8) [ 172.024(a)(8)], (10), or (12), or for justice of | 
      
        |  | the peace in a county with a population of more than 1.5 million, | 
      
        |  | who chooses to pay the filing fee must also accompany the | 
      
        |  | application with a petition for a place on the primary ballot as a | 
      
        |  | candidate for judicial office that complies with the requirements | 
      
        |  | prescribed for the petition authorized by Subsection (b), except | 
      
        |  | that the minimum number of signatures that must appear on the | 
      
        |  | petition required by this subsection is 250.  If the candidate | 
      
        |  | chooses to file the petition authorized by Subsection (b) in lieu of | 
      
        |  | the filing fee, the minimum number of signatures required for that | 
      
        |  | petition is increased by 250.  Signatures on a petition filed under | 
      
        |  | this subsection or Subsection (b) by a candidate covered by this | 
      
        |  | subsection may not be obtained on the grounds of a county courthouse | 
      
        |  | or courthouse annex. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 31.  Section 172.061(a), Election Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  Except for Section [ Sections 172.058(b),] 172.059(c), | 
      
        |  | [ and 172.060(b),] this subchapter applies to a candidate for county | 
      
        |  | chair or precinct chair. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 32.  Section 172.088(e), Election Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (e)  The minimum number of signatures that must appear on the | 
      
        |  | petition is five percent of the total vote received by all | 
      
        |  | candidates for president [ governor] in the party's most recent | 
      
        |  | presidential [ gubernatorial] general primary election. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 33.  Section 172.089, Election Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 172.089.  ORDER OF PARTY OFFICES ON BALLOT.  The party | 
      
        |  | offices of county chair and precinct chair shall be listed on the | 
      
        |  | primary election ballot after the candidates for the presidential | 
      
        |  | and vice-presidential nomination [ public offices] with the office | 
      
        |  | of county chair listed first. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 34.  Section 172.112, Election Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 172.112.  WRITE-IN VOTING.  Write-in voting in a | 
      
        |  | primary election is [ not] permitted only for the offices of county | 
      
        |  | chair and precinct chair. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 35.  Section 172.126(b), Election Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (b)  The county clerk shall determine whether to consolidate | 
      
        |  | election precincts under Section 42.009 and shall designate the | 
      
        |  | location of the polling place in a consolidated precinct. To the | 
      
        |  | extent possible, a polling place shall be designated that will | 
      
        |  | accommodate the precinct conventions of each political party. [ If a  | 
      
        |  | polling place, whether for a regular or consolidated precinct, is  | 
      
        |  | not suitable for more than one precinct convention, the polling  | 
      
        |  | place may be used by the party whose candidate for governor received  | 
      
        |  | the most votes in the county in the most recent gubernatorial  | 
      
        |  | general election.] | 
      
        |  | SECTION 36.  Section 173.083(d), Election Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (d)  The final installment may not be paid until a report is | 
      
        |  | filed in compliance with Section 173.084 [ and, in the case of a  | 
      
        |  | county chair, a report is also filed in compliance with Section  | 
      
        |  | 172.124].  On the filing of the report, the secretary of state shall | 
      
        |  | calculate the amount of the final installment and prepare and | 
      
        |  | deliver to the comptroller of public accounts a certified statement | 
      
        |  | indicating that amount and the appropriate county or state chair's | 
      
        |  | name. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 37.  Section 191.001, Election Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 191.001.  PARTIES REQUIRED TO HOLD PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY | 
      
        |  | ELECTION.  To be entitled to have its nominees for president and | 
      
        |  | vice-president of the United States placed on the general election | 
      
        |  | ballot in a particular presidential election year, a political | 
      
        |  | party must hold a presidential primary election in this state if: | 
      
        |  | (1)  [ in the presidential election year, the party is  | 
      
        |  | required by this code to nominate its candidates for state and  | 
      
        |  | county offices by primary election; | 
      
        |  | [ (2)] a presidential primary election is authorized | 
      
        |  | under national party rules; and | 
      
        |  | (2) [ (3)]  before January 1 of the presidential | 
      
        |  | election year, the national party has determined that it will hold a | 
      
        |  | national presidential nominating convention that year. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 38.  The heading to Section 191.031, Election Code, | 
      
        |  | is amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 191.031.  NATIONAL PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING CONVENTION | 
      
        |  | [ PARTY HOLDING PRIMARY ELECTION]. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 39.  Sections 191.031(a) and (b), Election Code, are | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  If a political party [ holding a primary election in a  | 
      
        |  | presidential election year] desires to send delegates to a national | 
      
        |  | presidential nominating convention of the party, the party shall | 
      
        |  | select the delegates at a state convention convened on a date | 
      
        |  | adopted by the state executive committee occurring in the | 
      
        |  | presidential election year.  [ Before the date of the party's  | 
      
        |  | precinct conventions held under Chapter 174, the party's state  | 
      
        |  | executive committee shall choose the date, hour, and place for the  | 
      
        |  | state convention.] | 
      
        |  | (b)  The state convention shall consist of delegates | 
      
        |  | selected at the party's county and senatorial district conventions | 
      
        |  | [ held under Chapter 174]. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 40.  Section 202.004(a), Election Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  A candidate [ political party's nominee] for an | 
      
        |  | unexpired term must be chosen [ nominated] by primary election if[: | 
      
        |  | [ (1)  the political party is making nominations by  | 
      
        |  | primary election for the general election in which the vacancy is to  | 
      
        |  | be filled; and | 
      
        |  | [ (2)]  the vacancy occurs on or before the fifth day | 
      
        |  | before the date of the regular deadline for candidates to file | 
      
        |  | applications for a place on the general primary ballot. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 41.  Section 203.005(b), Election Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (b)  An application must, in addition to complying with | 
      
        |  | Section 141.031: | 
      
        |  | (1)  state the political party with which the candidate | 
      
        |  | is aligned or, if the candidate is not aligned with a party, state | 
      
        |  | that fact; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  be accompanied by: | 
      
        |  | (A)  a filing fee in the amount prescribed by | 
      
        |  | Section 141.0315 [ 172.024] for a candidate for [nomination for] the | 
      
        |  | same office in a general primary election; or | 
      
        |  | (B)  a petition that satisfies the requirements | 
      
        |  | prescribed by Section 141.062. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 42.  Section 257.005(a), Election Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  Except as provided by this section, the following are | 
      
        |  | subject to the requirements of this title that apply to a candidate | 
      
        |  | for public office: | 
      
        |  | (1)  a candidate for state chair of a political party | 
      
        |  | with an affiliated candidate [ a nominee] on the ballot in the most | 
      
        |  | recent gubernatorial general election; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  a candidate for election to the office of county | 
      
        |  | chair of a political party with an affiliated candidate [ a nominee] | 
      
        |  | on the ballot in the most recent gubernatorial general election if | 
      
        |  | the county has a population of 350,000 or more. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 43.  The following provisions are repealed: | 
      
        |  | (1)  Subtitle C, Title 10, Election Code; | 
      
        |  | (2)  Chapter 142, Election Code; | 
      
        |  | (3)  Subchapters B and C, Chapter 145, Election Code; | 
      
        |  | (4)  Sections 161.008, 162.015, 162.016, 172.001, | 
      
        |  | 172.117, 172.121, 172.122, 172.123, 172.124, 191.032, 202.005, | 
      
        |  | 202.006, 202.007, 204.004, and 232.046, Election Code; | 
      
        |  | (5)  Sections 172.002(a), 172.058(b), and 172.060(b), | 
      
        |  | Election Code; and | 
      
        |  | (6)  Section 572.027(d), Government Code. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 44.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |