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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the early voting period. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 85.001(a) and (c), Election Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The period for early voting by personal appearance |
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begins on the 10th [17th] day before election day and continues |
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through the fourth day before election day, except as otherwise |
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provided by this section. |
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(c) If the date prescribed by Subsection (a) [or (b)] for |
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beginning the period is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal state holiday, |
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the early voting period begins on the next regular business day. |
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SECTION 2. Section 85.005(d), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) In an election ordered by a city, early voting by |
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personal appearance at the main early voting polling place shall be |
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conducted from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. [for at least 12 hours:
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[(1)] on one weekday[, if the early voting period
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consists of less than six weekdays; or
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[(2)
on two weekdays, if the early voting period
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consists of six or more weekdays]. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 85.006(a), (d), and (e), Election Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), the authority |
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ordering an election may order early voting by personal appearance |
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at the main early voting polling place to be conducted on a Saturday |
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or Sunday [one or more Saturdays or Sundays] during the early voting |
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period. |
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(d) The authority authorized to order early voting on a |
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Saturday or Sunday under Subsection (a) or (b) shall order the |
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voting under the applicable subsection on receipt of a written |
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request submitted by at least 15 registered voters of the territory |
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covered by the election. The request must be submitted in time to |
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enable compliance with Section 85.007. The authority [is not
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required to order the voting on a particular date specified by the
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request but] shall order the voting on [at least one] Saturday if |
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[a] Saturday is requested and on [at least one] Sunday if [a] Sunday |
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is requested. |
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(e) In a primary election or the general election for state |
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and county officers in a county with a population of 100,000 or |
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more, the early voting clerk shall order personal appearance voting |
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at the main early voting polling place to be conducted from 7 a.m. |
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until 7 p.m. [for at least 12 hours] on [the last] Saturday and for |
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at least five hours on [the last] Sunday during [of] the early |
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voting period. The early voting clerk shall order voting to be |
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conducted at those times in those elections in a county with a |
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population under 100,000 on receipt of a written request for those |
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hours submitted by at least 15 registered voters of the county. The |
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request must be submitted in time to enable compliance with Section |
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85.007. This subsection supersedes any provision of this |
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subchapter to the extent of any conflict. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 85.001(b) and (e), Election Code, are |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect January 1, 2020. |