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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of preferential voting in certain elections. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 201, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 201.055, 201.056, 201.057, 201.058, and |
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201.059 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 201.055. PREFERENTIAL VOTING REQUIRED. |
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Notwithstanding Chapter 2 or any other law, a special election held |
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to fill a vacancy in an office requiring election by majority vote |
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must use preferential voting as provided by this subchapter. |
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Sec. 201.056. ADOPTION OF PREFERENTIAL VOTING PROCEDURES. |
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(a) The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures to allow for |
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an election of an office requiring a majority vote using a |
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preferential voting system. |
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(b) The system must allow a voter to rank each candidate for |
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an office through a numerical designation from the candidate the |
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voter favors most to the candidate the voter favors least. |
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Sec. 201.057. DETERMINATION OF ELECTION RESULT. (a) If no |
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candidate receives a majority of the votes cast designating the |
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highest favorable ranking for an office, the votes of the candidate |
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receiving the fewest number of votes are reassigned to the |
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candidate ranking next highest in the preference of a voter. |
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(b) If after reassigning votes under Subsection (a) no |
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candidate receives a majority of the votes cast designating the |
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modified highest favorable ranking, the reassignment of a vote to a |
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voter's next most preferred candidate under Subsection (a) |
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continues until one candidate receives a majority. |
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Sec. 201.058. PRIMARY NOT HELD; FILING PERIOD. (a) A |
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primary election is not held for an office to which this subchapter |
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applies. |
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(b) The secretary of state shall prescribe the filing |
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deadline for an application for a place on the ballot for an office |
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to which this subchapter applies that is filled at the general |
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election for state and county officers. |
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Sec. 201.059. RUNOFF ELECTION NOT HELD. Notwithstanding |
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any other law, a runoff election is not held for an office to which |
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this subchapter applies. |
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SECTION 2. The following provisions of the Election Code |
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are repealed: |
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(1) Section 203.009(d); |
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(2) Section 203.010; and |
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(3) Sections 203.013(f), (g), and (h). |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |