Title EL, Election Code

Sec. 52.066. ARRANGEMENT OF BALLOT WITH NO PARTY NOMINEE. (a) For an election in which no party nominee is to appear on the ballot, the ballot shall be arranged as provided by this section. (b) Each title of an office to be voted on shall be listed in a vertical column with the n…

Sec. 52.067. NONALIGNED CANDIDATE DESIGNATED AS INDEPENDENT. In an election in which the candidates' political party alignments are to be printed on the ballot next to the candidates' names, "Independent" shall be printed on the ballot next to the name of each candidate who is no…

Sec. 52.068. OFFICE TITLE TO APPEAR ON BALLOT IF NO CANDIDATE FOR OFFICE. (a) If no candidate's name is to appear on the ballot for a particular office to be voted on at an election in which write-in votes for the office are permitted by law, the authority responsible for having …

Sec. 52.069. UNEXPIRED TERM. If an office to be filled for an unexpired term is to be voted on at a general or primary election, "unexpired term" shall be printed on the ballot following the office title. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.

Sec. 52.070. VOTING SQUARE AND INSTRUCTION FOR CANDIDATES. (a) A shape for voting shall be printed to the left of each candidate's name on a ballot. (b) Immediately below "OFFICIAL BALLOT," the following instruction shall be printed: "Vote for the candidate of your choice in each…

Sec. 52.072. PROPOSITIONS. (a) Except as otherwise provided by law, the authority ordering the election shall prescribe the wording of a proposition that is to appear on the ballot. (b) A proposition shall be printed on the ballot in the form of a single statement and may appear …

Sec. 52.073. VOTING SQUARE AND INSTRUCTION FOR PROPOSITIONS. (a) On a ballot on which a proposition is to appear, "FOR" and, below it, "AGAINST" shall be printed to the left of the proposition. (b) A brace or other suitable device shall be printed to indicate to which proposition…

Sec. 52.074. PROVISIONAL BALLOT FOR CERTAIN VOTERS. The authority responsible for having the official ballot prepared shall have a provisional ballot prepared in a form approved by the secretary of state for use by a voter who executes an affidavit in accordance with Section 63.0…

Sec. 52.075. MODIFICATION OF BALLOT FORM FOR CERTAIN VOTING SYSTEMS. (a) The secretary of state may prescribe the form and content of a ballot for an election using a voting system, including an electronic voting system or a voting system that uses direct recording electronic vot…

Sec. 52.091. PARTY COLUMNS. (a) Party columns shall be arranged on the ballot in the following order, beginning on the left: (1) columns of parties with nominees for statewide or district offices; (2) columns of parties without nominees for statewide or district offices. (b) Colu…

Sec. 52.092. OFFICES REGULARLY FILLED AT GENERAL ELECTION FOR STATE AND COUNTY OFFICERS. (a) Except as provided by Section 2.053(c), for an election at which offices regularly filled at the general election for state and county officers are to appear on the ballot, the offices sh…

Sec. 52.093. OFFICES OF POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OTHER THAN COUNTY. Except as otherwise provided by law, for an election at which offices of a political subdivision other than a county are to be voted on, the authority ordering the election shall determine the order of the offices o…

Sec. 52.094. NAMES OF CANDIDATES. (a) Except as otherwise provided by law, for an election at which the names of more than one candidate for the same office are to appear on the ballot in an independent column or are to appear on a general or special election ballot that does not…

Sec. 52.095. PROPOSITIONS. (a) Except as otherwise provided by law, the authority ordering an election in which more than one measure is to be voted on shall determine the order in which the propositions are to appear on the ballot. (b) Each political subdivision's proposition on…

Sec. 61.001. BYSTANDERS EXCLUDED; UNLAWFUL PRESENCE OF CANDIDATE. (a) Except as permitted by this code and as described by Subsection (a-1), a person may not be in the polling place from the time the presiding judge arrives there on election day to make the preliminary arrangemen…

Sec. 61.002. OPENING AND CLOSING POLLING PLACE FOR VOTING. Text of subsection prior to the amendments made by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1184 (S.B. 2753), Sec. 5, eff. September 1, 2025. Applies to elections ordered before the date the Secretary of State issues the report re…

Sec. 61.003. ELECTIONEERING AND LOITERING NEAR POLLING PLACE. (a) A person commits an offense if, during the voting period and within 100 feet of an outside door through which a voter may enter the building in which a polling place is located or within 20 feet of a parking space …

Sec. 61.004. UNLAWFUL OPERATION OF SOUND AMPLIFICATION DEVICE OR SOUND TRUCK. (a) A person commits an offense if, during the voting period and within 1,000 feet of a building in which a polling place is located, the person operates a sound amplification device or a vehicle with a…

Sec. 61.005. SECURITY OF BALLOTS, BALLOT BOXES, AND ENVELOPES. (a) From the time a presiding judge receives the official ballots for an election until the precinct returns for that election have been certified, the presiding judge shall take the precautions necessary to prevent a…

Sec. 61.006. UNLAWFULLY DIVULGING VOTE. (a) A person commits an offense if the person was in a polling place for any purpose other than voting and knowingly communicates to another person information that the person obtained at the polling place about how a voter has voted. (b) A…

Sec. 61.007. UNLAWFULLY REVEALING INFORMATION BEFORE POLLS CLOSE. (a) An election officer, watcher, or other person serving at a polling place in an official capacity commits an offense if, before the polls close or the last voter has voted, whichever is later, the officer, watch…

Sec. 61.008. UNLAWFULLY INFLUENCING VOTER. (a) A person commits an offense if the person indicates to a voter in a polling place by word, sign, or gesture how the person desires the voter to vote or not vote. (b) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor. Acts 1985, …

Sec. 61.009. INSTRUCTING VOTER ON CASTING BALLOT. On the request of a voter, an election officer shall instruct the voter on the proper procedure for casting a ballot. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.

Sec. 61.010. WEARING NAME TAG OR BADGE IN POLLING PLACE. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person may not wear a badge, insignia, emblem, or other similar communicative device relating to a candidate, measure, or political party appearing on the ballot, or to the conduc…

Sec. 61.011. REMOVING WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS FOUND IN POLLING PLACE. (a) An election officer shall periodically check each voting station and other areas of the polling place for sample ballots or other written communications used by voters that were left or discarded in the poll…

Sec. 61.012. ACCESS BY PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. (a) Except as provided by Section 61.013, each polling place must provide at least one voting station that: (1) complies with: (A) Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Section 794) and its subsequent am…

Sec. 61.013. ACCESS BY PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES: ELECTIONS OF CERTAIN POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS. (a) For an election other than an election of a political subdivision that is held jointly with another election in which a federal office appears on the ballot, the political subdivisi…

Sec. 61.014. USE OF CERTAIN DEVICES. (a) Except as permitted by Sections 61.012 and 61.013, a person may not use a wireless communication device within a room in which voting is taking place. (b) A person may not use any mechanical or electronic means of recording images or sound…

Sec. 61.031. USE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), an election officer may not use a language other than English in performing an official duty in connection with the election. (b) If a voter cannot communicate in English, an election officer may comm…

Sec. 61.032. INTERPRETER PERMITTED. If an election officer who attempts to communicate with a voter does not understand the language used by the voter, the voter may communicate through an interpreter selected by the voter or, if the voter has not selected an interpreter, any int…

Sec. 61.033. ELIGIBILITY TO SERVE AS INTERPRETER. To be eligible to serve as an interpreter, a person: (1) may be any person other than the voter's employer, an agent of the voter's employer, or an officer or agent of a labor union to which the voter belongs; and (2) if appointed…

Sec. 61.034. TRANSLATING BALLOT. If a voter cannot comprehend the language in which the ballot is printed, the voter may receive assistance in accordance with Subchapter B, Chapter 64. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by: Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S…

Sec. 61.035. OATH. (a) Before serving as an interpreter, the person selected as interpreter must take the following oath administered by an election officer: "I swear (or affirm) that, to the best of my ability, I will correctly interpret and translate each question, answer, or s…

Sec. 61.036. TRANSLATION REQUIRED. (a) If an election officer and a voter communicate in a language other than English, any other election officer or watcher may request an English translation of anything communicated in the other language. (b) If a translation request is made, t…

Sec. 62.001. OFFICERS TO ASSEMBLE. (a) On election day, the presiding judge and the election clerks the judge assigns to assist with preparing the polling place shall meet at the polling place in time to prepare it to receive the voters. (b) If the polling place is left unattende…

Sec. 62.002. TIME FOR COMPLETING ARRANGEMENTS. Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, the arrangements prescribed by this chapter shall be completed at a polling place before it is opened for voting. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.

Sec. 62.003. ELECTION OFFICERS: OATH AND IDENTIFICATION. (a) The presiding judge and the election clerks present at the polling place before the polls open shall repeat the following oath aloud: "I swear (or affirm) that I will not in any manner request or seek to persuade or ind…

Sec. 62.004. ARRANGING VOTING STATIONS. The voting stations shall be arranged so that: (1) the voting area is in view of the election officers, watchers, and persons waiting to vote but is separated from the persons waiting to vote; (2) access to the voting area through any entra…

Sec. 62.005. EXAMINING BALLOT BOXES. On the first day of voting at a polling place during early voting or on election day, an election officer shall open and examine the ballot boxes and remove any contents from the boxes. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.…

Sec. 62.006. PLACING BOX FOR DEPOSIT OF MARKED BALLOTS. The ballot box to be used by the voters to deposit marked ballots shall be locked. The ballot box and the box used for the deposit of provisional ballots shall be placed where they will be in plain view of the election offic…

Sec. 62.007. EXAMINING BALLOTS. (a) An election officer shall unseal the ballot package, remove the ballots, and examine them to determine whether they are properly numbered and printed. (b) An unnumbered or otherwise defectively printed ballot shall be placed in ballot box no. 4…

Sec. 62.008. PRESIDING JUDGE TO SIGN BALLOTS. (a) The presiding judge's signature shall be placed on the back of each ballot to be used at the polling place. (b) The judge shall sign each ballot or an election officer shall stamp a facsimile of the judge's signature on each ballo…

Sec. 62.009. DISARRANGING BALLOTS FOR VOTERS' SELECTION. (a) As needed for voting, an election officer shall disarrange a supply of the ballots so that they are in random numerical order. (b) The disarranged ballots shall be placed face down on a table in a manner preventing an e…

Sec. 62.010. DISTANCE MARKER. (a) An election officer shall place one or more distance markers at the outer limits of the area within which electioneering is prohibited. (b) A distance marker must contain the following language printed in large letters: "Distance Marker. No elect…

Sec. 62.011. INSTRUCTION POSTER. (a) An election officer shall post an instruction poster: (1) in each voting station; and (2) in one or more other locations in the polling place where it can be read by persons waiting to vote. (b) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form …

Sec. 62.0111. NOTICE OF PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN DEVICES. (a) At the discretion of the presiding judge, notice of the prohibition of the use of certain devices under Section 61.014 may be posted at one or more locations in the polling place where it can be read by persons waiting t…