82R9538 JRJ-D
By: Walle H.B. No. 2298
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the hours during which the polls are open for early
voting by personal appearance.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 12.004(d), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(d) The [If early voting by personal appearance is required
to be conducted for extended hours under Section 85.005(c) or for
weekend hours under Section 85.006(e), the] registrar's office
shall remain open for providing voter registration information
during the [extended hours or weekend] hours that the main early
voting polling place is open for voting.
SECTION 2. Section 85.005, Election Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to
read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), (c-1), or (d), in
an election in which a county clerk or city secretary is the early
voting clerk under Section 83.002 or 83.005, early voting by
personal appearance at the main early voting polling place shall be
conducted on the weekdays of the early voting period and during the
hours that the county clerk's or city secretary's main business
office is regularly open for business.
(c) In a county with a population of 100,000 or more but less
than three million, the voting in a primary election or the general
election for state and county officers shall be conducted at the
main early voting polling place for at least 12 hours on each
weekday of the last week of the early voting period, and the voting
in a special election ordered by the governor shall be conducted at
the main early voting polling place for at least 12 hours on each of
the last two days of the early voting period. Voting shall be
conducted in accordance with this subsection in those elections in
a county with a population under 100,000 on receipt by the early
voting clerk of a written request for the extended hours submitted
by at least 15 registered voters of the county. The request must be
submitted in time to enable compliance with Section 85.067.
(c-1) In a county with a population of three million or
more, the voting in a primary election, the general election for
state and county officers, or a special election ordered by the
governor shall be conducted at the main early voting polling place
from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on each weekday of the early voting period.
SECTION 3. Section 85.006(e), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(e) In a primary election or the general election for state
and county officers in a county with a population of 100,000 or
more, the early voting clerk shall order personal appearance voting
at the main early voting polling place to be conducted for at least
12 hours on the last Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the last
Saturday in a county with a population of three million or more, and
for at least five hours on the last Sunday of the early voting
period. The early voting clerk shall order voting to be conducted
at those times in those elections in a county with a population
under 100,000 on receipt of a written request for those hours
submitted by at least 15 registered voters of the county. The
request must be submitted in time to enable compliance with Section
85.007. This subsection supersedes any provision of this subchapter
to the extent of any conflict.
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
an election for which early voting begins on or after September 1,
2011.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.