| 1 | 1 | | 81R2921 JRJ-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Pena H.B. No. 2036 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the use of countywide voting locations by certain |
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| 8 | 8 | | counties. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 43, Election Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 43.009 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 43.009. COUNTYWIDE POLLING PLACE. (a) A |
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| 13 | 13 | | commissioners court may provide for a voter who resides in the |
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| 14 | 14 | | county to vote at any precinct polling place located within the |
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| 15 | 15 | | county for: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) each general election for state and county |
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| 17 | 17 | | officers; |
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| 18 | 18 | | (2) each countywide election held on the uniform |
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| 19 | 19 | | election date in May; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | (3) each election of a political subdivision located |
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| 21 | 21 | | in the county that is held jointly with an election described by |
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| 22 | 22 | | Subdivision (1) or (2). |
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| 23 | 23 | | (b) The secretary of state shall provide for an audit of the |
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| 24 | 24 | | direct recording electronic voting units of a county that operates |
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| 25 | 25 | | polling places under this section before and after the election, |
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| 26 | 26 | | and during the election to the extent such an audit is practicable. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (c) In order to operate polling places in the manner |
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| 28 | 28 | | described by this section, the commissioners court must receive |
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| 29 | 29 | | approval from the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall |
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| 30 | 30 | | approve each county that: |
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| 31 | 31 | | (1) has implemented a computerized voter registration |
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| 32 | 32 | | list that allows an election officer at the polling place to verify |
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| 33 | 33 | | that a voter has not previously voted in the election; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | (2) uses direct recording electronic voting machines |
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| 35 | 35 | | or is otherwise determined by the secretary of state to have the |
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| 36 | 36 | | appropriate technological capabilities. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (d) Each polling place must allow a voter to vote in the same |
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| 38 | 38 | | elections in which the voter would be entitled to vote in the county |
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| 39 | 39 | | election precinct in which the voter resides. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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