bill requiring longer early voting hours in counties of 10,000-plus

The text as introduced · 608 words

2025S0154-T 02/28/25

By: Smithee
H.B. No. 4508

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the administration of and procedures relating to early

voting by personal appearance.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 19.004(a), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (d), state funds

disbursed under this chapter may be used only to:

(1) defray expenses of the registrar's office in

connection with voter registration, including additional expenses

related to:

(A) implementation of the National Voter

Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. Section 20501 et seq.);

(B) complying with weekly updating requirements;

and

(C) the employment of temporary voter

registration personnel for not more than 39 weeks in a state fiscal

year; and

(2) if the registrar's county has a population of less

than 10,000 [ 55,000 ], defray the cost to the registrar's county of

keeping the polling places in the county open during the early

voting period as required under Section [ Sections 85.005(c), ]

85.006(e)[ , and 85.064(d) ].

SECTION 2. Section 85.005(c), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(c) In a county with a population of 10,000 or more, the

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.

SECTION 3. Section 85.006(e), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(e) In a primary election or the general election for state

and county officers in a county with a population of 10,000 or more ,

the early voting clerk 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. The early

voting clerk shall order voting to be conducted at those times in

those elections for those hours on a single weekend day in a county

with a population under 10,000. The day of extended voting hours

must be agreed to by party chairs and posted publicly in compliance

with Section 85.007. This subsection supersedes any provision of

this subchapter to the extent of any conflict.

SECTION 4. Section 85.064, Election Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:

(e) Subsection (d) applies only to an election in which the

territory served by the early voting clerk is situated in a county

with a population of 10,000 or more. In an election in which the

territory served by the clerk is situated in more than one county,

this section applies if the sum of the populations of the counties

is 10,000 or more.

SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to

an election for which early voting begins on or after the effective

date of this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.