Bill Text: TX HB1783 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the authority of the county clerk with respect to certain early voting election officers.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-04 - Referred to Elections [HB1783 Detail]

Download: Texas-2013-HB1783-Introduced.html

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83R6061 ATP-F
By: S. Davis of Harris H.B. No. 1783

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the authority of the county clerk with respect to
certain early voting election officers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 85.009, Election Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
follows:
(b) Before July of each year, the county chair of a [each]
political party whose candidate for governor received the highest
or second highest number of votes in the county in the most recent
gubernatorial general election [holding a primary election in the
county] shall submit in writing to the county clerk a list of names
of persons in order of preference for each early voting polling
place who are eligible for selection as an election officer. The
county chair may supplement the list of names of persons until the
30th day before early voting begins in case an appointed election
officer becomes unable to serve. The county clerk shall appoint the
first person meeting the applicable eligibility requirements from
the list submitted in compliance with this subsection by the party
with the highest number of votes in the county as the presiding
election officer of that polling place and the first person meeting
the applicable eligibility requirements from the list submitted in
compliance with this subsection by the party with the second
highest number of votes in the county as the alternate presiding
election officer of that polling place. The county clerk shall
appoint additional election officers for each polling place in the
manner described by Subsection (a). The county clerk may reject the
list if the persons whose names are submitted on the list are
determined not to meet the applicable eligibility requirements.
(d) After early voting has begun, the county clerk may:
(1) dismiss an election officer for an early voting
polling place if the officer is not able to meet the statutory
requirements of the position or if the officer has poor hygiene and
replace the officer with another person from the appropriate
party's list submitted under Subsection (b), or if a list is not
submitted, another person in a manner ensuring equal representation
to the extent possible for the parties holding a primary election in
the county; or
(2) transfer early voting officers among early voting
polling places in a manner that ensures equal representation to the
extent possible for the parties holding a primary election in the
county.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2013.