S.B. No. 1805 amends various sections of the Election Code to modify the administration and procedures for early voting by personal appearance in Texas. Notably, the bill changes the population threshold for certain provisions from 55,000 to 10,000, allowing counties with populations under 10,000 to receive state funds for keeping polling places open during early voting. Additionally, it establishes specific requirements for early voting hours in counties with populations of 10,000 or more, mandating at least 12 consecutive hours of voting on weekdays during the last week of early voting and on the last weekend of the early voting period.

The bill also introduces new provisions regarding the scheduling of early voting hours, particularly for counties with populations under 10,000, where the early voting clerk must coordinate with party chairs to agree on a single weekend day for extended voting hours. Furthermore, it clarifies that certain sections of the Election Code apply only to elections in counties with populations of 10,000 or more. The changes will take effect on September 1, 2025, and will apply only to elections for which early voting begins on or after that date.

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