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LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
March 17, 2021
TO:
Honorable Briscoe Cain, Chair, House Committee on Elections
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1890 by Schofield (Relating to the date of the primary election runoff.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1890, As Introduced : a negative impact of ($5,500,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2023.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2022
($5,500,000)
2023
$0
2024
($5,500,000)
2025
$0
2026
($5,500,000)
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable (Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2022
($5,500,000)
2023
$0
2024
($5,500,000)
2025
$0
2026
($5,500,000)
Fiscal Analysis
This bill would amend the Texas Election Code to change the primary runoff date for state and county officers. This change would have the effect of adding a second primary runoff election. According to the Secretary of State (SOS), adding a second primary runoff election to each even-numbered year would impose a significant fiscal impact on the State.
Methodology
According to SOS, from 2012 to 2020 the cost to the State for the primary runoff election has averaged approximately $5.5 million per election. The SOS assumes that the cost of a second primary runoff would be similar to that historical average. Major costs for these elections according to the agency include: payments for precinct election judges, providing agency support for local jurisdictions, programming voting systems for the election, printing ballots, supplying election kids, and delivery costs for voting machines.
Local Government Impact
According to elections officials from Tarrant, Parker, Cameron, Brazoria and Taylor counties, a fiscal impact to counties of between $150,000 to $350,000 every two years is anticipated.