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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to temporary branch polling place hours of operation. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 42.0621, Election Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 42.0621. PRECINCTS FOR ELECTIONS HELD ON NOVEMBER [A] |
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UNIFORM ELECTION DATE. |
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SECTION 2. Section 42.0621(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) In an election held on the November [a] uniform election |
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date, the political subdivisions to which Section 42.002(a)(5) |
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applies shall use the regular county election precincts. |
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SECTION 3. Section 85.062(e), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(e) In an election covered by Subsection (d), a temporary |
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branch polling place that is located in a movable structure may be |
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established only with the approval of the county clerk. If a |
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[movable] temporary branch polling place is established in a |
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movable structure on the request of a political party, each other |
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political party whose nominee for governor in the most recent |
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gubernatorial general election received more than 10 percent of the |
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total number of votes received by all candidates for governor in the |
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election is entitled to establishment of such a polling place. The |
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election officers serving a polling place covered by this |
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subsection must be affiliated or aligned with different political |
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parties to the extent possible. The secretary of state, after |
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consulting the state chair of each affected political party, shall |
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prescribe the procedures necessary to implement this subsection. |
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SECTION 4. The heading to Section 85.064, Election Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 85.064. DAYS AND HOURS FOR VOTING: TEMPORARY BRANCH |
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[IN POPULOUS COUNTY]. |
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SECTION 5. Section 85.064(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Early voting by personal appearance at each temporary |
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branch polling place [established under Section 85.062(d)] shall be |
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conducted on the days that voting is required to be conducted at the |
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main early voting polling place under Section 85.005 and remain |
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open for at least: |
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(1) eight hours each day; or |
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(2) three hours each day if the city or county clerk |
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does not serve as the early voting clerk for the territory holding |
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the election and the territory has fewer than 1,000 registered |
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voters. [The authority establishing the temporary branch polling
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place shall determine the hours during which the voting is to be
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conducted on those days. The authority shall order voting to be
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conducted for the same number of hours that voting is required to be
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conducted on those days at the main early voting polling place under
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Section 85.005 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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85.067.] |
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SECTION 6. Section 85.068(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The early voting clerk shall post notice for each |
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election stating any dates and the hours that voting on Saturday or |
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Sunday will be conducted under Section 85.064(d) [or 85.065(b)], if |
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the early voting clerk is a county clerk or city secretary under |
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Section 83.002 or 83.005. |
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SECTION 7. The following provisions of the Election Code |
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are repealed: |
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(1) Section 42.002(c); |
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(2) Sections 85.064(a) and (c); and |
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(3) Section 85.065. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |