This section requires election notices to be given by approved methods and sets extra posting and delivery duties for counties, consolidated precinct notices, and debt obligation election orders.
Sec. 4.003. METHOD OF GIVING NOTICE. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), notice of an election must be given by any one or more of the following methods: (1) by publishing the notice at least once, not earlier than the 30th day or later than the 10th day before election day: (A) in a newspaper published in the territory that is covered by the election and is in the jurisdiction of the authority responsible for giving the notice; or (B) in a newspaper of general circulation in the territory if none is published in the jurisdiction of the authority responsible for giving the notice; (2) by posting, not later than the 21st day before election day, a copy of the notice at a public place in each election precinct that is in the jurisdiction of the authority responsible for giving the notice; or (3) by mailing, not later than the 10th day before election day, a copy of the notice to each registered voter of the territory that is covered by the election and is in the jurisdiction of the authority responsible for giving the notice. (b) In addition to any other notice given for an election under Subsection (a), not later than the 21st day before election day, a county shall post a copy of a notice of the election given by the county or provided to the county under Section 4.008(a), which must include the location of each polling place, on the county's Internet website, if the county maintains a website. An authority responsible for giving notice of an election may post a copy of the notice on the bulletin board used for posting notices of the meetings of the governing body of the political subdivision that the authority serves. If a county does not maintain a website, the authority responsible for giving notice of the election shall post a copy of a notice of the election on the bulletin board used for posting notices of the meetings of the governing body of the political subdivision that the authority serves. For each precinct that is combined to form a consolidated precinct under Section 42.008, not later than the 10th day before election day, the authority shall also post, at the polling place used in the preceding general election, notice of the precinct's consolidation and the location of the polling place in the consolidated precinct. A notice posted under this subsection must remain posted continuously through election day. (c) In addition to any other notice given, notice of an election ordered by the governor, by a county authority, or by an authority of a city or school district must be given by the method prescribed by Subsection (a)(1). (d) If other law prescribes the method of giving notice of an election, that law supersedes this section, except that Subsection (c) applies regardless of the notice requirements prescribed by other law with respect to an election covered by that subsection. (e) The authority responsible for giving notice of the election shall deliver to the secretary of state a copy of the notice of a consolidated precinct required by Subsection (b) not later than the date of the election. (f) A debt obligation election order required under Section 3.009 shall be posted: (1) on election day and during early voting by personal appearance, in a prominent location at each polling place; (2) not later than the 21st day before the election, in three public places in the boundaries of the political subdivision holding the election; and (3) during the 21 days before the election, on the political subdivision's Internet website, prominently and together with the notice of the election, the contents of the proposition, and any sample ballot prepared for the election, if the political subdivision maintains an Internet website. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 479, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 114, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by: Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 554 (S.B. 637), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 726 (H.B. 440), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2019. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1052 (H.B. 933), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 711 (H.B. 3107), Sec. 8, eff. September 1, 2021.