88R HB 3611
by Rep. Cain, same lead author · Died in committee · same text
Introduced textLast action, Mar 30, 2023: Left pending in committee
Relating to the determination of a majority vote in certain elections.
Caption, 88R bill history
HB 817
Cain bill barring ranked-choice voting to reach a majority
Did not pass
Verdict: No flags
No flagsInitial review
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to the determination of a majority vote in certain elections.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
More than half of the votes as first cast, or no majority.
This bill says that in any Texas election where a candidate needs a majority to win a public office, the candidate must get more than half of the votes as first cast. It bars using ranked-choice style voting, where voters rank candidates and votes get reassigned, to reach that majority. Election officials and any city or local body that might want ranked voting are bound, and this rule overrides conflicting laws outside this part of the Election Code starting September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 3611 (Died in committee) and this bill (Did not pass). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 3611 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Elections committee 6-3 on Apr 3, 2025. Never placed on a calendar. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB817 · 2024-11-12
SOLD BY
+ 2 more authors, 11 coauthors
ITEM
relating to the determination of a majority vote in certain elections.
WHAT IT DOES
More than half of the votes as first cast, or no majority.
This bill says that in any Texas election where a candidate needs a majority to win a public office, the candidate must get more than half of the votes as first cast. It bars using ranked-choice style voting, where voters rank candidates and votes get reassigned, to reach that majority. Election officials and any city or local body that might want ranked voting are bound, and this rule overrides conflicting laws outside this part of the Election Code starting September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source
Sources
Fiscal note · version I · March 21, 2025
No first-year general revenue figure available here.
LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.
Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Elections
- Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
- Considered in public hearing
- Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
- Left pending in committee
- Considered in public hearing
- Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
- Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
- Committee report distributed
- Committee report sent to Calendars
- Considered in Calendars
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
No flags
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Not tied to this bill.
Sources
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Oct 28, 2024 to May 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Adam Loewy$7,500.00
Emerson Hankamer$5,205.08
Teans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$5,000.00
Teans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$5,000.00
- Cash
- $5,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $5,000.00
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · on Jul 3, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on Jul 3, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101033926.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Teans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$5,000.00
- Cash
- $5,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $5,000.00
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · on Jul 3, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on Jul 3, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101033926.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Witnesses28
- For
- 6
- Against
- 18
- On
- 4
Names
For
- FGA Action1 registration
- Self2 registrations
- Self; Harris county ballot security1 registration
- Self; State Republican Executive Committeeman SD24, Self1 registration
- Texas Public Policy Foundatiom1 registration
Against
- Common Cause Texas1 registration
- Every Texan1 registration
- League of women voters texas1 registration
- Self8 registrations
- Self; Eternal Vigilance Action Inc.1 registration
- Self; Fair Vote1 registration
- Self; Instant Runoff Voting for Texas1 registration
- Self; Texas Impact1 registration
- Self; The Libertarian Party of TEXAS,1 registration
- Texas Civil Rights Project1 registration
- Texas Democratic Party1 registration
On
- Self; MOVE Texas Civic Fund1 registration
- Texas Secretary of State3 registrations
Sources
28 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.
Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.
House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.
Fiscal
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source
Sources
Fiscal note · version I · March 21, 2025
No first-year general revenue figure available here.
LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.
Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
FILED BEFORE
Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Nov 12, 2024
05/07/2025 H Considered in Calendars
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Elections · Committee vote 6 aye, 3 nay · Out of committee
Companion
SB 310 by Hughes (similar)
Subjects
Elections--Administration
Elections--General
Elections--Voting Systems
Text
The text as introduced · 180 words
89R983 PRL-D By: Cain H.B. No. 817 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the determination of a majority vote in certain elections. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 2, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 2.0215 to read as follows: Sec. 2.0215. DETERMINATION OF MAJORITY VOTE. (a) In this section, "preferential voting system" means a voting system which permits a voter to rank each candidate through a numerical designation from the candidate the voter favors most to the candidate the voter favors least. (b) In an election requiring a majority vote to be elected to a public office, a candidate must receive more than half of the votes as originally cast. A majority may not be determined by using a preferential voting system to reassign votes. SECTION 2. Section 2.022(b), Election Code, is amended to read as follows: (b) Sections 2.0215, 2.023, 2.025, and 2.028 supersede a law outside this subchapter to the extent of any conflict. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.