Voters may use a petition to put a proposal on a party’s general primary ballot, but the petition must meet statutory requirements, include the proposal, be filed on time, and have enough signatures.
Sec. 172.088. VOTER PETITION FOR REFERENDUM. (a) Voters by petition may require that a proposal to include a demand for specific legislation or any other matter in a political party's platform or resolutions be submitted to a vote in the party's general primary election by placement on the general primary election ballot. (b) Subject to Subsection (c), a petition under this section must satisfy the requirements prescribed by Section 141.062 for a candidate's petition and must state the proposal that is to be submitted. The petition is otherwise subject to the applicable provisions of Subchapter C, Chapter 141, except as provided by this section. (c) A political party by rule may provide for restricting petition signers on the basis of party alignment or preference. (d) The petition must be filed with the state chair of the political party holding the primary to which the petition applies before the date of the regular filing deadline for candidates' applications for a place on the primary ballot. (e) The minimum number of signatures that must appear on the petition is five percent of the total vote received by all candidates for governor in the party's most recent gubernatorial general primary election. (f) A signer's voter registration is not required to be in any particular territory. (g) The state executive committee shall prescribe the wording of the ballot language for the proposition submitted by the petition. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 864, Sec. 141, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by: Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1131 (H.B. 2640), Sec. 19, eff. September 1, 2019.