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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the powers and duties of certain election officers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 32.002, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (g) to read as follows: |
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(g) Following an oral warning to the election judge and |
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notice to the county chair of the same political party with which |
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the judge is affiliated or aligned, the county clerk may remove, |
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replace, or reassign an election judge who causes a disruption in a |
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polling location or wilfully disobeys the provisions of this code. |
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A vacancy created under this subsection shall be filled in the same |
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manner as an emergency appointment under Section 32.007. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 87, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 87.006 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 87.006. EARLY VOTING BALLOT BOARD MEMBERS: OATH AND |
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IDENTIFICATION. (a) A member of the early voting ballot board |
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shall repeat the following oath aloud: |
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"I swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully perform my duty as |
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an officer of the election and guard the purity and integrity of the |
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election." |
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(b) A member of the early voting ballot board who arrives |
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after the oath is made shall repeat the oath aloud before performing |
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any duties as a member. |
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(c) Following administration of the oath, each member of the |
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early voting ballot board shall be issued a form of identification, |
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prescribed by the secretary of state, to be displayed by the member |
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during the member's hours of service on the board. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter G, Chapter 87, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 87.127 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 87.127. RESOLUTION OF INCORRECT DETERMINATION BY EARLY |
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VOTING BALLOT BOARD. (a) If a county election officer, as defined |
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by Section 31.091, determines a ballot was incorrectly rejected by |
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the early voting ballot board before the time set for convening the |
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canvassing authority, the county election officer may petition a |
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district court for injunctive or other relief as the court |
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determines appropriate. |
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(b) In an election ordered by the governor or by a county |
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judge, the county election officer must confer with and establish |
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the agreement of the county chair of each political party before |
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petitioning the district court. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter A, Chapter 127, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 127.0015 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 127.0015. CENTRAL COUNTING STATION OFFICERS: OATH AND |
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IDENTIFICATION. (a) Election officers appointed under this |
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subchapter shall repeat the following oath aloud: |
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"I swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully perform my duty as |
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an officer of the election and guard the purity and integrity of the |
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election." |
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(b) An officer who arrives after the oath is made shall |
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repeat the oath aloud before performing any duties as an election |
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officer. |
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(c) Following administration of the oath, each election |
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officer shall be issued a form of identification, prescribed by the |
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secretary of state, to be displayed by the officer during the |
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officer's hours of service at the central counting station. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |