The bill, S.B. No. 985, amends Section 42.0051 of the Election Code to allow for the combination of certain election precincts under specific conditions. It introduces provisions that permit the commissioners court or the county executive committee of a political party to combine precincts if changes in county election precinct boundaries due to redistricting result in precincts with fewer than 500 registered voters. Additionally, it allows for the combination of precincts in counties with populations of at least 250,000, provided those precincts have between 500 and 750 registered voters. The bill also stipulates that combined precincts must adhere to the maximum population limits set forth in Section 42.006.

The bill removes previous restrictions that limited the application of these provisions to counties with populations of less than 1.2 million that do not participate in the countywide polling place program. It also establishes criteria to ensure that combined precincts do not dilute the voting strength or representation of groups protected under the federal Voting Rights Act. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Election Code 42.0051 (Election Code 42)