Bill Text: TX SB18 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 3rd Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the management of polling place locations during a continuous period for voting.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-09-08 - Filed [SB18 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB18-Introduced.html
By: Hall | S.B. No. 18 | |
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relating to the management of polling place locations during a | ||
continuous period for voting. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 41, Election Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 41.0015 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 41.0015. ELECTION PERIOD. In this title, "election | ||
period" means the period beginning on the first day of early voting | ||
by personal appearance as described under Section 85.001 and ending | ||
when the polls close on election day. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 43, Election Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 43.008 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 43.008. ADDITIONAL POLLING PLACES DURING ELECTION | ||
PERIOD. If the county clerk or commissioners court, as applicable, | ||
determines that more polling places are needed during the election | ||
period than the number initially opened, the county clerk or | ||
commissioners court may open more polling places, but may not, for | ||
any reason, close a polling place before the end of the election | ||
period. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 61.002, Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 61.002. OPENING AND CLOSING POLLING PLACE FOR VOTING. | ||
(a) Immediately before opening the polls for voting on the first day | ||
of the election period, the presiding election judge shall confirm | ||
that each voting machine has any public counter reset to zero and | ||
shall print the zero tape: | ||
(1) that shows the counter was set to zero; and | ||
(2) that shows the summary for each candidate and | ||
measure on the ballot for each voting machine is set to zero. | ||
(b) At the official time for opening the polls for voting, | ||
an election officer shall open the polling place entrance and admit | ||
the voters. | ||
(c) Immediately after closing the polls for voting on the | ||
last day of the election period, the presiding election judge shall | ||
print the results tape to show the summary of votes for each | ||
candidate or ballot measure for each voting machine at that polling | ||
location. | ||
(d) The precinct election judge, and an election official | ||
aligned with a different political party, shall sign a tape printed | ||
under this section. | ||
(e) In this section, "election period" has the meaning | ||
assigned by Section 41.0015. | ||
SECTION 4. Sections 85.001(a) and (e), Election Code, are | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(a) The period for early voting by personal appearance | ||
begins on the 14th [ |
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through the opening of the polls on [ |
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day, except as otherwise provided by this section. | ||
(e) For an election held on the uniform election date in May | ||
and any resulting runoff election, the period for early voting by | ||
personal appearance begins on the 10th [ |
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day and continues through the opening of the polls on [ |
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SECTION 5. Subchapter C, Chapter 125, Election Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 125.0635 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 125.0635. SECURING EQUIPMENT ON FAILURE OF EQUIPMENT. | ||
(a) In this section, "election period" has the meaning assigned by | ||
Section 41.0015. | ||
(b) If a piece of electronic voting machine equipment fails | ||
and is taken out of service during the election period, the | ||
equipment and any associated memory card must be securely isolated | ||
until the end of the election period. | ||
SECTION 6. 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 on the 91st day after the last day of the | ||
legislative session. |