By: Hughes S.B. No. 921

(In the Senate - Filed February 14, 2023; March 3, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; March 21, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 3; March 21, 2023, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the determination of a majority vote in certain elections.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 2, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 2.0215 to read as follows:

Sec. 2.0215. DETERMINATION OF MAJORITY VOTE. (a) In this section, "preferential voting system" means a voting system which permits a voter to rank each candidate through a numerical designation from the candidate the voter favors most to the candidate the voter favors least.

(b) In an election requiring a majority vote to be elected to a public office, a candidate must receive more than half of the votes as originally cast. A majority may not be determined by using a preferential voting system to reassign votes.

SECTION 2. Section 2.022(b), Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) Sections 2.0215, 2.023, 2.025, and 2.028 supersede a law outside this subchapter to the extent of any conflict.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

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