The bill, S.B. No. 1805, proposes amendments to the Texas Election Code concerning early voting procedures. It specifically modifies the eligibility criteria for state funds used to support early voting operations, changing the population threshold for counties from less than 55,000 to less than 10,000. Additionally, it establishes requirements for early voting hours in counties with populations of 10,000 or more, mandating that voting occurs for at least 12 consecutive hours on weekdays during the last week of the early voting period and on the last weekend of early voting. For counties with populations under 10,000, the bill allows for a single weekend day of extended voting hours, contingent upon agreement from party chairs.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a new subsection to clarify that certain provisions apply only to elections in counties with populations of 10,000 or more, and it specifies that the changes will take effect for elections where early voting begins on or after September 1, 2025. The amendments aim to enhance accessibility and streamline the early voting process in Texas, particularly for smaller counties.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Election Code 19.004, Election Code 85.005, Election Code 85.006, Election Code 85.064 (Election Code 19, Election Code 85)