85R10697 GRM-F
By: Swanson H.B. No. 2391
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the order of candidate names on an election ballot.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 2.002(d), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(d) The order of the candidates' names on the ballot shall
be the relative order of names on the original ballot [determined by
a drawing in accordance with Section 52.094].
SECTION 2. Sections 52.094(a) and (c), Election Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, for an election at
which the names of more than one candidate for the same office are
to appear on the ballot in an independent column or are to appear on
a general or special election ballot that does not contain a party
nominee, the order of the candidates' names shall be determined by a
drawing. The order of the candidates' names on the ballot of any
resulting runoff election or election held to resolve a tie vote
shall be the relative order of names on the original election
ballot.
(c) The authority conducting the drawing shall post in the
authority's office a notice of the date, hour, and place of the
drawing. The notice must remain posted continuously for 72 hours
immediately preceding the scheduled time of the drawing[, except
that for a runoff election or an election held to resolve a tie
vote, the notice must remain posted for 24 hours immediately
preceding the scheduled time of the drawing].
SECTION 3. Section 172.084(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) The [Except as provided by this section, the] order of
the candidates' names on the runoff primary election ballot for
each county shall be the relative order of names on the general
primary ballot established by the drawing of candidates conducted
under Section 172.082 [determined by a drawing conducted in the
same manner as the regular drawing for position on the general
primary election ballot].
SECTION 4. Sections 172.084(b), (c), (d), and (e), Election
Code, are repealed.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.