HB4508 - Relating to the days and hours in which counties of certain sizes conduct early voting by personal appearance.

  89R26709 MLH-F     By: Smithee H.B. No. 4508     Substitute the following for H.B. No. 4508:     By:  Shaheen C.S.H.B. No. 4508       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the days and hours in which counties of certain sizes   conduct early voting by personal appearance.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 85.005, Election Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to read as   follows:          (c)   In a county with a population of 10,000 or more, voting     [ 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 consecutive 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 consecutive hours on each   of the last two days of the early voting period.  Voting under this   subsection may not be conducted earlier than 6 a.m. or later than 10   p.m.           (c-1)     In a county with a population of less than 10,000,   voting in a primary election or the general election for state and   county officers shall, on receipt of a written request submitted by   at least 15 registered voters of the territory covered by the   election, be conducted at the main early voting polling place   during the hours described by Subsection (c).          SECTION 2.  Section 85.006, Election Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (e) and adding Subsection (f) to read as   follows:          (e)  In a primary election or the general election for state   and county officers :                 (1) [ , ] the early voting clerk of a county with a   population of 10,000 or more shall order voting by personal   appearance at the main early voting polling place to be conducted on   the last Saturday of the early voting period for at least 12   consecutive hours, except that voting may not be conducted earlier   than 6 a.m. or later than 10 p.m., and on the last Sunday of the   early voting period for at least six consecutive hours, except that   voting may not be conducted earlier than 9 a.m. or later than 10   p.m. ; and                 (2)     the early voting clerk of a county with a   population of less than 10,000 shall order voting by personal   appearance at the main early voting polling place to be conducted on   either the last Saturday or the last Sunday of the early voting   period for at least 12 consecutive hours, except that voting may not   be conducted earlier than 9 a.m. or later than 10 p.m., provided   that the county chair of each party that made nominations by primary   election for the last general election for state and county   officers must agree on the day for the voting to be conducted.           (f)  Subsection (e) [ This subsection ] supersedes any   provision of this subchapter to the extent of any conflict.          SECTION 3.  Section 85.064, Election Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read as   follows:          (d)  The authority authorized under Section 85.006 to order   early voting on a Saturday or Sunday may also order, in the manner   prescribed by that section, early voting to be conducted on a   Saturday or Sunday at any one or more of the temporary branch   polling places , if the territory served by the authority is   situated in a county with a population of 10,000 or more .  In   addition, the early voting clerk shall order such voting in   accordance with Section 85.006(e) at each temporary branch polling   place established under Section 85.062(d).           (e)     For purposes of Subsection (d), if the territory served   by the authority is situated in more than one county, the population   of the territory served by the authority is determined using the   combined populations of all counties in which the territory is   situated.          SECTION 4.  This Act applies only to an election for which   early voting begins on or after the effective date of this Act.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.