81R10122 JRJ-F
By: Ortiz, Jr. H.B. No. 3600
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a program allowing for countywide voting centers as an
alternative election system.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 43, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 43.007 to read as follows:
Sec. 43.007. COUNTYWIDE VOTING CENTERS. (a) A county may
conduct its elections under this section as an alternative to the
general election provisions of this chapter.
(b) The secretary of state shall establish rules for
counties to allow a commissioners court to eliminate county
election precincts and establish countywide voting centers for:
(1) each general election for state and county
officers;
(2) each countywide election held on the uniform
election date in May; and
(3) each election of a political subdivision located
in the county that is held jointly with an election described by
Subdivision (1) or (2).
(c) The commissioners court of a county that desires to use
countywide voting centers as an alternative election system shall
hold a public hearing on the proposed election system change. The
county shall make a reasonable effort to provide notice of the
hearing to other political subdivisions within the jurisdiction of
the county. A county that has previously used countywide voting
centers as an alternative election system is not required to hold a
hearing under this subsection.
(d) At the request of the commissioners court, the secretary
of state may provide for an audit of the direct recording electronic
voting units before and after the election, and during the election
to the extent such an audit is practicable.
(e) The secretary of state by rule shall require a county
that desires to use the alternative election system to:
(1) implement a computerized voter registration list
that allows an election officer at the voting center to verify that
a voter has not previously voted in the election;
(2) use direct recording electronic voting machines or
other state-certified voting equipment that has the appropriate
capabilities to permit the use of countywide voting centers; and
(3) document that the county possesses the appropriate
technological capabilities as determined by the secretary of state.
(f) Each countywide voting center must allow a voter to vote
in the same elections in which the voter would be entitled to vote
in the county election precinct in which the voter resides.
(g) In selecting countywide voting centers, a county must
adopt a methodology for determining where each voting center will
be located. The total number of countywide voting centers may not
be less than 50 percent of the number of precinct polling places
that would otherwise be located in the county under this chapter.
(h) A county opting to use this alternative election system
for the first time must establish a plan to provide notice informing
voters of the changes made to the locations of polling places under
the program. The plan must require that notice of the location of
the nearest countywide voting center be posted on election day at
each polling place used in the previous general election for state
and county officers that is not used as a countywide voting center.
(i) In creating the plan under Subsection (h), the county
may solicit input from organizations located within the county who
represent minority voters.
SECTION 2. Section 32.002, Election Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
(g) If election precincts are replaced with countywide
voting centers under the alternative election system permitted by
Section 43.007, the commissioners court shall make a reasonable
effort to appoint the election judges for each voting center from
among the judges appointed for the precincts located in the area
served by the voting center.
SECTION 3. Section 85.001, Election Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
(f) A county that implements countywide voting centers
under Section 43.007 may extend the early voting period so that the
period for early voting by personal appearance begins on the 17th
day before election day and continues through the day before
election day.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.