Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2410 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	By: Israel, Laubenberg (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 2410
2		-	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2017;
3		-	May 10, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on State
4		-	Affairs; May 18, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:
5		-	Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 18, 2017, sent to printer.)
6		-	Click here to see the committee vote
	1	+	H.B. No. 2410
7	2
8	3
9		-	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
10	4		AN ACT
11	5		relating to the authority to conduct a runoff primary election by
12	6		mail in certain counties.
13	7		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
14	8		SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 172, Election Code, is
15	9		amended by adding Section 172.129 to read as follows:
16	10		Sec. 172.129. VOTING BY MAIL IN CERTAIN RUNOFF PRIMARY
17	11		ELECTIONS. (a) The state chair of a political party may by order
18	12		require a runoff primary election to be conducted in a county only
19	13		by mail if:
20	14		(1) fewer than 100 votes were cast in the county in the
21	15		party's general primary election; and
22	16		(2) a runoff election is required in the county only
23	17		for statewide offices or district offices filled by voters of more
24	18		than one county.
25	19		(b) If the state chair of the political party requires the
26	20		conduct of a runoff primary election only by mail, the state chair
27	21		shall send the order to the county clerk not later than the fifth
28	22		day after the local canvass is completed.
29	23		(c) The county clerk shall provide an official ballot in the
30	24		manner provided by Chapter 86 to each registered voter in a county
31	25		who:
32	26		(1) voted in the party's general primary election; or
33	27		(2) requests in writing a ballot for the runoff
34	28		primary election and is otherwise eligible to vote in the election.
35	29		(d) A person who did not vote in the party's general primary
36	30		election and did not vote in any other party's primary election may
37	31		request a runoff primary election ballot to be voted by mail:
38	32		(1) by submitting a written request to the county
39	33		clerk;
40	34		(2) by mailing to the county clerk an application form
41	35		prescribed by the secretary of state;
42	36		(3) in person before election day by presenting to the
43	37		county clerk an application form prescribed by the secretary of
44	38		state or a written request for a ballot by mail; or
45	39		(4) in person on election day by presenting to the
46	40		county clerk an application form prescribed by the secretary of
47	41		state or a written request for a ballot by mail.
48	42		(e) A written request submitted under Subsection (d)(1)
49	43		must include:
50	44		(1) the voter's name;
51	45		(2) the voter's registration address;
52	46		(3) the runoff election date or a statement that the
53	47		application is for the runoff election;
54	48		(4) the county;
55	49		(5) the name of the political party conducting the
56	50		runoff; and
57	51		(6) the voter's signature.
58	52		(f) A voter requesting a ballot under Subsection (d)(3) or
59	53		(4) shall be provided with the ballot materials on presentation of
60	54		an application or written request demonstrating that the voter is
61	55		eligible to vote in the election.
62	56		(g) A voter requesting a ballot under Subsection (d)(3) may
63	57		return the marked ballot in person to the county clerk or by mail or
64	58		common carrier.
65	59		(h) A voter requesting a ballot under Subsection (d)(4) may
66	60		return the marked ballot to the county clerk in person not later
67	61		than 7 p.m. on election day.
68	62		(i) All ballots voted by mail or in person under this
69	63		section shall be counted in the same manner as a ballot voted by
70	64		mail under Chapter 86.
71	65		(j) The county clerk shall be reimbursed for costs of
72	66		conducting the runoff election by mail from the same funds that
73	67		would provide for a runoff primary election by personal appearance.
74	68		(k) The secretary of state may adopt rules as necessary to
75	69		implement this section. The application form adopted by the
76	70		secretary of state under this section must include the required
77	71		information for a written request under Subsection (e).
78	72		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
79		-	* * * * *
	73	+	______________________________ ______________________________
	74	+	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
	75	+	I certify that H.B. No. 2410 was passed by the House on May 9,
	76	+	2017, by the following vote: Yeas 133, Nays 12, 2 present, not
	77	+	voting.
	78	+	______________________________
	79	+	Chief Clerk of the House
	80	+	I certify that H.B. No. 2410 was passed by the Senate on May
	81	+	24, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 25, Nays 6.
	82	+	______________________________
	83	+	Secretary of the Senate
	84	+	APPROVED: _____________________
	85	+	Date
	86	+	_____________________
	87	+	Governor