89R15641 MLH-F
By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 2820
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the number of polling places in certain counties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 43.007, Election Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (m) and adding Subsection (m-1) to read as
follows:
(m) In adopting a methodology under Subsection (f), the
county must ensure that:
(1) each county commissioners precinct contains at
least one countywide polling place; [and]
(2) the total number of polling places open for voting
in a county commissioners precinct does not exceed more than twice
the number of polling places in another county commissioners
precinct; and
(3) in a county with a population of more than 1
million, the number of polling places within the boundary of a state
representative district may not differ from the number of polling
places within the boundary of another state representative district
in the county by more than one.
(m-1) For purposes of Subsection (m)(3), a state
representative district located in more than one county shall have
a number of polling places required by that subdivision reduced in
proportion to the number of qualified voters from that state
representative district who reside in the county, as determined by
the secretary of state.
SECTION 2. Section 85.062, Election Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read as
follows:
(d) In a primary election, the general election for state
and county officers, or a special election to fill a vacancy in the
legislature or in congress:
(1) the commissioners court of a county with a
population of 1 million [400,000] or more shall establish one or
more early voting polling places other than the main early voting
polling place in each state representative district containing
territory covered by the election, except that:
(A) the polling place or places shall be
established in the state senatorial or congressional district, as
applicable, in a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of
state senator or United States representative; and
(B) the number of early voting polling places
within the boundary of a state representative district may not
differ from the number of early voting polling places within the
boundary of another state representative district in the county by
more than one;
(2) the commissioners court of a county with a
population of 120,000 or more but less than 1 million [400,000]
shall establish one or more early voting polling places other than
the main early voting polling place in each commissioners precinct
containing territory covered by the election; and
(3) the early voting clerk of a county with a
population of 100,000 or more but less than 120,000 shall establish
one or more early voting polling places as described by Subdivision
(2) in each precinct for which the early voting clerk receives in
time to enable compliance with Section 85.067 a written request for
that action submitted by at least 15 registered voters of that
precinct.
(e) For purposes of Subsection (d)(1)(B), a state
representative district located in more than one county shall have
a number of polling places required by that paragraph reduced in
proportion to the number of qualified voters from that state
representative district who reside in the county, as determined by
the secretary of state.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.