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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the presiding officers of the early voting ballot board |
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and a recount committee used in certain elections. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 87.002, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (e) to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (e), the [The] early |
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voting ballot board consists of a presiding judge and at least two |
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other members. |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (d) or (e), the |
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presiding judge is appointed in the same manner as a presiding |
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election judge. Except as provided by Subsections [Subsection] (c) |
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and (e), the other members are appointed by the presiding judge in |
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the same manner as the precinct election clerks. |
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(e) This subsection applies only to the general election for |
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state and county officers held in a county with a population of more |
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than 100,000. The county election board shall appoint a panel of |
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three persons to perform the duties of the presiding judge under |
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this chapter. The county election board shall appoint to the panel |
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two members from the list submitted under Subsection (c) by the |
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party whose nominee for governor received the greatest number of |
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votes in the county in the most recent gubernatorial election and |
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one member from the list submitted by the party whose nominee for |
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governor received the second greatest number of votes in the county |
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in the most recent gubernatorial election. The function of the |
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presiding judge under this chapter is performed by the panel as |
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determined by majority vote of the panel, but the panel may |
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designate one member as chair over procedural matters. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 213, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 213.0021 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 213.0021. PANEL TO ACT AS RECOUNT COMMITTEE CHAIR FOR |
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CERTAIN ELECTIONS. (a) Notwithstanding Section 213.002, in the |
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general election for state and county officers in a county with a |
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population of more than 100,000, the recount supervisor shall |
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appoint a panel of three persons to perform the duties of the |
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recount committee chair under this title. The recount supervisor |
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shall appoint: |
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(1) two members of the panel from a list submitted by |
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the county chair of the party whose nominee for governor received |
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the greatest number of votes in the county in the most recent |
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gubernatorial election; and |
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(2) one member of the panel from a list submitted by |
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the county chair of the party whose nominee for governor received |
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the second greatest number of votes in the county in the most recent |
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gubernatorial election. |
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(b) A decision of the panel is made by majority vote of the |
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members of the panel. The panel may select one member as chair over |
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procedural matters. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |