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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the early voting period. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 85.001(a) and (e), Election Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The period for early voting by personal appearance |
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begins on the 10th [17th] day before election day and continues |
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through the second [fourth] day before election day, except as |
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otherwise provided by this section. |
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(e) For an election held on the uniform election date in May |
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and any resulting runoff election, the period for early voting by |
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personal appearance begins on the seventh [12th] day before |
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election day and continues through the second [fourth] day before |
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election day. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 85.005(c) and (d), Election Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(c) In a county with a population of 100,000 or more, the |
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voting in a primary election or the general election for state and |
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county officers shall be conducted at the main early voting polling |
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place for at least 12 hours on each weekday [of the last week] of the |
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early voting period, and the voting in a special election ordered by |
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the governor shall be conducted at the main early voting polling |
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place for at least 12 hours on each of the last two days of the early |
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voting period. Voting shall be conducted in accordance with this |
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subsection in those elections in a county with a population under |
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100,000 on receipt by the early voting clerk of a written request |
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for the extended hours submitted by at least 15 registered voters of |
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the county. The request must be submitted in time to enable |
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compliance with Section 85.067. |
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(d) In an election ordered by a city, early voting by |
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personal appearance at the main early voting polling place shall be |
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conducted for at least 12 hours[:
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[(1)] on one weekday[, if the early voting period
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consists of less than six weekdays; or
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[(2)
on two weekdays, if the early voting period
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consists of six or more weekdays]. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |