86R12229 GRM-D

By: Vo H.B. No. 2627

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the days and hours during which the polls are open for early voting by personal appearance.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 12.004(d), Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

(d) The [If early voting by personal appearance is required to be conducted for extended hours under Section 85.005(c) or for weekend hours under Section 85.006(e), the] registrar's office shall remain open for providing voter registration information during the [extended hours or weekend] hours that the main early voting polling place is open for voting.

SECTION 2. Sections 85.001(a) and (e), Election Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) The period for early voting by personal appearance begins on the 17th day before election day and continues through the fourth day before election day, except as otherwise provided by this subchapter [section].

(e) For an election held on the uniform election date in May and any resulting runoff election, the period for early voting by personal appearance begins on the 12th day before election day and continues through the fourth day before election day, except as otherwise provided by this subchapter.

SECTION 3. Section 85.006, Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 85.006. EXTENDED VOTING [ON SATURDAY OR SUNDAY]. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), the authority ordering an election may order early voting by personal appearance at the main early voting polling place to be conducted:

(1) on one or more Saturdays or Sundays during the early voting period; or

(2) during an extended early voting period beginning on the 19th day before election day for any number of consecutive days up to and including the third day before election day.

(b) In an election in which a county clerk or city secretary is the early voting clerk under Section 83.002 or 83.005, only the early voting clerk may order extended voting [on a Saturday or Sunday]. The clerk must do so by written order.

(c) Except as otherwise provided by this section, the [The] authority ordering extended voting [on a Saturday or Sunday] shall determine the hours during which voting is to be conducted.

(d) The authority authorized to order extended early voting [on a Saturday or Sunday] under Subsection (a) or (b) shall order [the] voting on a Saturday or Sunday under the applicable subsection on receipt of a written request submitted by at least 15 registered voters of the territory covered by the election. The request must be submitted in time to enable compliance with Section 85.007. The authority is not required to order the voting on a particular date specified by the request but shall order the voting on at least one Saturday if a Saturday is requested and on at least one Sunday if a Sunday is requested.

(e) In a primary election or the general election for state and county officers in a county with a population of 100,000 or more, the early voting clerk shall order personal appearance voting at the main early voting polling place to be conducted for at least 12 hours on the last Saturday and for at least five hours on the last Sunday of the early voting period. The early voting clerk shall order voting to be conducted at those times in those elections in a county with a population under 100,000 on receipt of a written request for those hours submitted by at least 15 registered voters of the county. The request must be submitted in time to enable compliance with Section 85.007. This subsection supersedes any provision of this subchapter to the extent of any conflict.

(f) An authority authorized to order extended early voting under Subsection (a) or (b) that orders the voting during an extended early voting period shall order personal appearance voting at the main early voting polling place to be conducted for at least 12 hours on any weekday or Saturday and for at least five hours on any Sunday of the extended early voting period.

SECTION 4. Sections 85.007(a) and (b), Election Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) The election order and the election notice must state:

(1) the date that early voting will begin if under Section 85.001(d) the early voting period is to begin later than the prescribed date;

(2) the regular dates and hours that voting will be conducted under Section 85.005(b); and

(3) the dates and hours that extended voting [on Saturday or Sunday] is ordered to be conducted under Section 85.006(a).

(b) The early voting clerk shall post notice for each election stating the dates and hours that extended voting [on a Saturday or Sunday] is ordered to be conducted under Section 85.006(b).

SECTION 5. Section 85.064(d), Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

(d) The authority authorized under Section 85.006 to order extended early voting [on a Saturday or Sunday] may also order, in the manner prescribed by that section, extended early voting to be conducted [on a Saturday or Sunday] at any one or more of the temporary branch polling places. In addition, the early voting clerk of a county covered by Section 85.006(e) shall order such voting in accordance with that subsection at each temporary branch polling place established under Section 85.062(d).

SECTION 6. Section 85.065(b), Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) Voting at a temporary branch polling place may be conducted on any one or more days and during any hours of the period for early voting by personal appearance, as determined by the authority establishing the branch. The authority authorized under Section 85.006 to order extended early voting [on a Saturday or Sunday] may also order, in the manner prescribed by that section, extended early voting to be conducted [on a Saturday or Sunday] at any one or more of the temporary branch polling places.

SECTION 7. Section 85.068(a), Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The early voting clerk shall post notice for each election stating any dates and the hours that extended voting [on Saturday or Sunday] will be conducted under Section 85.064(d) or 85.065(b), if the early voting clerk is a county clerk or city secretary under Section 83.002 or 83.005.

SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.