Isaac Bill Ends May Elections, Moves Nearly Everything To November

The text as introduced · 565 words

90R2761 TSS-D

By: Isaac
H.B. No. 353

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the uniform election date.

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

SECTION 1. Section 2.025(a), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (d) or as otherwise

provided by this code, a runoff election shall be held on a Tuesday

[ Saturday ] designated by the secretary of state.

SECTION 2. Section 31.093(a), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) If [ Subject to Section 41.001(d), if ] requested to do so

by a political subdivision, the county elections administrator

shall enter into a contract to furnish the election services

requested, in accordance with a cost schedule agreed on by the

contracting parties.

SECTION 3. The heading to Section 41.001, Election Code, is

amended to read as follows:

Sec. 41.001. UNIFORM ELECTION DATE [ DATES ].

SECTION 4. Sections 41.001(a) and (c), Election Code, are

amended to read as follows:

(a) Except as otherwise provided by this subchapter, each

general or special election in this state shall be held on [ one of

the following dates:

[ (1) the first Saturday in May in an odd-numbered

year;

[ (2) the first Saturday in May in an even-numbered

year, for an election held by a political subdivision other than a

county, or ordered by the governor; or

[ (3) ] the first Tuesday after the first Monday in

November.

(c) Except for an election under Subsection (a) or Section

41.0011 [ or a runoff election following an election held under

Subsection (a)(2) ], an election may not be held within 30 days

before or after the date of the general election for state and

county officers, general primary election, or runoff primary

election.

SECTION 5. Section 41.004(a), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) If a law outside this code other than the constitution

requires a special election subject to Section 41.001(a) to be held

within a particular period after the occurrence of a certain event,

the election shall be held on the [ an ] authorized uniform election

date occurring within the period unless no uniform election date

within the period affords enough time to hold the election in the

manner required by law. In that case, Section 41.001(a) does not

apply [ the election shall be held on the first authorized uniform

election date occurring after the expiration of the period ].

SECTION 6. Section 41.0052(a), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) The governing body of a political subdivision[ , other

than a county or municipal utility district, ] that holds its

general election for officers on a date other than the November

uniform election date shall [ may ], not later than December 31, 2027

[ 2025 ], change the date on which it holds its general election for

officers to the November uniform election date [ in odd-numbered

years ].

SECTION 7. The following provisions of the Election Code

are repealed:

(1) Section 41.001(d);

(2) Sections 41.0052(a-1), (a-3), and (g);

(3) Section 41.0052(f), as added by Chapter 46 (S.B.

914), Acts of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025;

(4) Section 41.0052(f), as added by Chapter 753 (H.B.

3546), Acts of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025; and

(5) Section 85.001(e).

SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.