Title EL, Election Code

Sec. 258.007. SUBSCRIPTION TO CODE VOLUNTARY. The subscription to the Code of Fair Campaign Practices by a candidate or a political committee is voluntary. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 168, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Sec. 258.008. INDICATION ON POLITICAL ADVERTISING. A candidate or a political committee that has filed a copy of the Code of Fair Campaign Practices may so indicate on political advertising in a form to be determined by the commission. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 168, Sec.…

Sec. 258.009. CIVIL CAUSE OF ACTION. This chapter does not create a civil cause of action for recovery of damages or for enforcement of this chapter. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 168, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Sec. 259.001. NOTICE REQUIREMENT ON POLITICAL ADVERTISING SIGNS. (a) The following notice must be written on each political advertising sign: "NOTICE: IT IS A VIOLATION OF STATE LAW (CHAPTERS 392 AND 393, TRANSPORTATION CODE), TO PLACE THIS SIGN IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY OF A HIGHWAY."…

Sec. 259.002. REGULATION OF DISPLAY OF POLITICAL SIGNS BY PROPERTY OWNERS' ASSOCIATION. (a) In this section, "property owners' association" has the meaning assigned by Section 202.001, Property Code. (b) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a property owners' association…

Sec. 259.003. REGULATION OF POLITICAL SIGNS BY MUNICIPALITY. (a) In this section, "private real property" does not include real property subject to an easement or other encumbrance that allows a municipality to use the property for a public purpose. (b) A municipal charter provis…

Sec. 271.001. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PARTS OF CODE. The other titles of this code apply to a joint election except provisions that are inconsistent with this chapter or that cannot feasibly be applied to a joint election. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.

Sec. 271.002. JOINT ELECTIONS AUTHORIZED. (a) If the elections ordered by the authorities of two or more political subdivisions are to be held on the same day in all or part of the same county, the governing bodies of the political subdivisions may enter into an agreement to hold…

Sec. 271.003. LOCATION OF COMMON POLLING PLACE. (a) A regular county polling place may be used for a common polling place in a joint election. (b) The voters of a particular election precinct or political subdivision may be served in a joint election by a common polling place loc…

Sec. 271.004. ALLOCATION OF ELECTION EXPENSES. The expenses of a joint election are allocated as provided by the joint election agreement. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.

Sec. 271.005. ELECTION OFFICERS. (a) An election officer for a joint election may be appointed to serve more than one of the participating political subdivisions. (b) A person who is eligible to serve as an election officer in an election of any participating political subdivisio…

Sec. 271.006. EARLY VOTING. (a) The governing bodies of the political subdivisions participating in a joint election shall decide whether to conduct their early voting jointly. The governing bodies that decide to conduct joint early voting shall appoint one of their early voting …

Sec. 271.007. BALLOT. A single ballot containing all the offices or propositions stating measures to be voted on at a particular polling place may be used in a joint election. A voter may not be permitted to select a ballot containing an office or proposition stating a measure on…

Sec. 271.0071. MULTIPLE METHODS OF VOTING ALLOWED. The restrictions on multiple methods of voting at the same polling place or in early voting prescribed by Sections 123.005-123.007 do not apply to a joint election as if the joint election were a single election but rather apply …

Sec. 271.008. BALLOT BOXES. (a) One set of ballot boxes may be used at a common polling place in a joint election for the deposit of all the ballots for each of the participating political subdivisions. (b) If the voted ballots for more than one political subdivision participatin…

Sec. 271.009. COMBINING ELECTION FORMS AND RECORDS. The forms used and records maintained at a common polling place in a joint election may be combined in any manner convenient and adequate to record and report the results of the election for each of the participating political s…

Sec. 271.010. CUSTODIAN OF ELECTION RECORDS. The general custodian of election records for elections ordered by an authority of any one of the political subdivisions participating in a joint election may be appointed as the general custodian of election records for the joint elec…

Sec. 271.011. CANVASS. (a) The authority responsible for canvassing the precinct returns for the elections of one of the political subdivisions participating in a joint election may be designated to canvass the returns for one or more of the other participating political subdivis…

Sec. 271.012. CERTIFICATE OF ELECTION. The presiding officer of the canvassing authority that regularly serves a particular political subdivision shall issue certificates of election to candidates elected at the joint election to offices of the political subdivision. Acts 1985, 6…

Sec. 271.013. COMPENSATION OF JUDGES AND CLERKS. (a) Except as provided by this section, compensation for election officers serving at a common polling place in a joint election is the same as that paid to election officers serving at a regular polling place. (b) If the election …

Sec. 271.014. CONFLICTS WITH OTHER LAW. A law outside this code pertaining to a joint election supersedes this chapter to the extent of any conflict. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.

Sec. 272.001. BILINGUAL ELECTION MATERIALS REQUIRED. Bilingual election materials printed in English and Spanish shall be used in elections in this state as provided by this chapter. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.

Sec. 272.002. ELECTION PRECINCTS IN WHICH BILINGUAL MATERIALS USED. Except as provided by Section 272.003, bilingual election materials shall be used in each election precinct situated wholly or partly in a county in which five percent or more of the inhabitants are persons of Sp…

Sec. 272.003. EXEMPT ELECTION PRECINCTS. (a) An election precinct to which Section 272.002 applies may be exempted from the bilingual requirement as provided by this section if official census information or other information indicates that persons of Spanish origin or descent co…

Sec. 272.004. USE OF BILINGUAL MATERIALS FOR EARLY VOTING. Bilingual election materials shall be used for early voting in each election in which bilingual election materials are used. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 2…

Sec. 272.005. REQUIRED BILINGUAL MATERIALS. (a) The instruction posters must be printed in English and Spanish on separate posters or on the same poster with the Spanish text next to the English text. If separate posters are used, they must be posted side by side. (b) Except as p…

Sec. 272.006. SEPARATE TRANSLATION AUTHORIZED. (a) In an election precinct in which use of bilingual election materials is required, bilingual printing of the ballot is not required if a Spanish translation of the ballot is posted in each voting station and a statement in Spanish…

Sec. 272.007. AUTHORITY PREPARING TRANSLATION. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, the secretary of state shall prepare the Spanish translation for the bilingual election materials required by Sections 272.005 and 272.006. (b) The secretary of state shall prepare th…

Sec. 272.008. OPTIONAL USE OF BILINGUAL MATERIALS. (a) The governing body of the political subdivision responsible for the expenses of an election may require the use of bilingual election materials in one or more election precincts. (b) If bilingual materials are required to be …

Sec. 272.009. BILINGUAL ELECTION CLERKS. (a) The presiding judge of an election precinct subject to Section 272.002 shall make reasonable efforts to appoint a sufficient number of election clerks who are fluent in both English and Spanish to serve the needs of the Spanish-speakin…

Sec. 272.010. VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION FORM. (a) The secretary of state shall prescribe a voter registration application form that is printed in Spanish or shall include a Spanish translation beneath the text of the English-language registration application form prescribed …

Sec. 272.011. BILINGUAL ELECTION MATERIALS REQUIRED IN CERTAIN POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS. (a) If the director of the census determines under 42 U.S.C. Section 1973aa-1a that a political subdivision must provide election materials in a language other than English or Spanish, the poli…

Sec. 273.001. INVESTIGATION OF CRIMINAL CONDUCT. (a) If two or more registered voters of the territory covered by an election present affidavits alleging criminal conduct in connection with the election to the county or district attorney having jurisdiction in that territory, the…

Sec. 273.002. LOCAL ASSISTANCE TO ATTORNEY GENERAL. For an election in which the attorney general is conducting an investigation, the attorney general may: (1) direct the county or district attorney serving a county in the territory covered by the election to conduct or assist th…

Sec. 273.003. IMPOUNDING ELECTION RECORDS. (a) In the investigation of an election, a county or district attorney or the attorney general may have impounded for the investigation the election returns, voted ballots, signature roster, and other election records. (b) To have electi…

Sec. 273.004. EXAMINATION OF IMPOUNDED RECORDS. (a) The examination of impounded election records shall be conducted in the same manner as a court of inquiry. (b) Impounded election records must be examined in the presence of the district judge ordering the impoundment or a grand…

Sec. 273.021. PROSECUTION BY ATTORNEY GENERAL AUTHORIZED. (a) The attorney general has jurisdiction to prosecute and shall represent the state in the prosecution of a criminal offense prescribed by the election laws of this state as provided by Subchapter E, Chapter 402, Governme…

Sec. 273.022. COOPERATION WITH LOCAL PROSECUTOR. The attorney general may direct the county or district attorney serving the county in which the offense is to be prosecuted to prosecute a criminal offense that the attorney general is authorized to prosecute under Section 273.021 …

Sec. 273.023. SUBPOENA. (a) A subpoena or subpoena duces tecum issued in connection with a prosecution under this subchapter is effective if served anywhere in this state. (b) A witness may not be punished for failure to comply with a subpoena issued under this subchapter unless …

Sec. 273.024. VENUE. An offense under this subchapter may be prosecuted in the county in which the offense was committed or an adjoining county. If the offense is committed in connection with a statewide election, the offense may be prosecuted in the county in which the offense w…

Sec. 273.041. REQUEST TO EXAMINE BALLOTS. In the investigation of criminal conduct in connection with an election, a grand jury, on finding probable cause to believe an offense was committed, may request a district judge of the county served by the grand jury to order an examinat…

Sec. 273.042. ORDER BY DISTRICT JUDGE. On request of a grand jury for an examination of voted ballots, a district judge may order the custodian of the ballots and the custodian of the keys to the ballot boxes to deliver the ballot boxes and the keys to the grand jury. Acts 1985, …

Sec. 273.043. CONDUCT OF EXAMINATION. The examination of ballots under this subchapter shall be conducted in secret before the grand jury. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1078, Sec. 22, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2003, …

Sec. 273.061. JURISDICTION. (a) The supreme court or a court of appeals may issue a writ of mandamus to compel the performance of any duty imposed by law in connection with the holding of an election or a political party convention, regardless of whether the person responsible fo…

Sec. 273.062. PROCEEDING TO OBTAIN WRIT. A proceeding to obtain a writ of mandamus under this subchapter shall be conducted in accordance with the rules pertaining to original proceedings of the court in which the petition is filed. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan…

Sec. 273.063. VENUE IN COURT OF APPEALS. (a) A petition to a court of appeals for a writ of mandamus under this subchapter must be filed with the court specified by this section. (b) A petition pertaining to an election must be filed with the court of the court of appeals distric…