ELECTION CODE

TITLE 11. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

CHAPTER 191. SELECTION OF DELEGATES TO NATIONAL NOMINATING CONVENTION

SUBCHAPTER A. PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION

Sec. 191.001.  PARTIES REQUIRED TO HOLD PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION.  To be entitled to have its nominees for president and vice-president of the United States placed on the general election ballot in a particular presidential election year, a political party must hold a presidential primary election in this state if:
(1)  in the presidential election year, the party is required by this code to nominate its candidates for state and county offices by primary election;
(2)  a presidential primary election is authorized under national party rules;  and
(3)  before January 1 of the presidential election year, the national party has determined that it will hold a national presidential nominating convention that year.
Added by Acts 1986, 69th Leg., 3rd C.S., ch. 14, Sec. 26, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.

Sec. 191.002.  QUALIFYING FOR PLACE ON BALLOT.  (a)  Candidates qualify to have their names placed on the presidential primary election ballot in the manner provided by party rule, subject to this section.
(b)  If party rules provide for the filing of applications or signature petitions to qualify candidates for a place on the ballot, the filing deadline may not be later than the regular filing deadline for candidates in the general primary election.  A signature on a candidate's petition is not valid unless it is that of a registered voter and is accompanied by the signer's residence address, including county, and voter registration number.
(c)  A person may not sign petitions supporting more than one presidential candidate in the same primary, and, if a person does so, the person's signature is void as to all petitions the person signs.
Added by Acts 1986, 69th Leg., 3rd C.S., ch. 14, Sec. 26, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.  Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 864, Sec. 197, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Sec. 191.003.  NOTICE OF CANDIDATES TO SECRETARY OF STATE.  (a)  The state chair of each political party holding a presidential primary election shall submit the information to the secretary of state for posting on the secretary of state's Internet website and certify the name of each presidential candidate who qualifies for a place on the presidential primary election ballot in the same manner as a candidate filing for statewide, district, and county offices not later than the ninth day after the date of the regular filing deadline for the general primary election.
(b)  The secretary of state shall create a system for submitting the information to the secretary of state for posting on the secretary of state's Internet website under Subsection (a).
Added by Acts 1986, 69th Leg., 3rd C.S., ch. 14, Sec. 26, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.  Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 864, Sec. 198, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.
Amended by: 
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1703), Sec. 23, eff. September 1, 2015.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1131 (H.B. 2640), Sec. 39, eff. September 1, 2019.

Sec. 191.004.  PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY BALLOT.  (a)  A single ballot shall be used for the presidential primary election and general primary election.  The secretary of state shall prescribe the form of the ballot, which must accommodate the regular form for the general primary election to the extent practicable.
(b)  The names of the presidential candidates shall be printed as the first race on the ballot under the heading "Preference For Presidential Nominee" followed by the instruction, "You may vote for one presidential candidate whose name appears on the ballot by making a mark in the shape beside the candidate's name."  If party rules provide for voting for an uncommitted status, the instruction shall read, "You may vote for one presidential candidate whose name appears on the ballot by making a mark in the shape beside the candidate's name or you may vote as uncommitted by making a mark in the shape beside 'Uncommitted.'  Make only one choice."  The instruction shall be changed as appropriate to accommodate the form of a voting system ballot.
(c)  A drawing to determine the order in which the presidential candidates' names are printed on the ballot in the county shall be conducted in conjunction with the regular drawing for position on the general primary election ballot.  "Uncommitted" shall be printed on the ballot following the candidates' names, if applicable.
Added by Acts 1986, 69th Leg., 3rd C.S., ch. 14, Sec. 26, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.
Amended by: 
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1131 (H.B. 2640), Sec. 40, eff. September 1, 2019.

Sec. 191.005.  PROCEDURES FOR CONDUCT OF PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY GENERALLY.  (a)  The presidential primary election shall be held in conjunction with the party's general primary election.
(b)  Except as otherwise provided by this subchapter, the presidential primary election shall be conducted and the results canvassed, tabulated, and reported in accordance with the procedures prescribed by this code in relation to the general primary election to the extent those procedures can be made applicable.
(c)  The secretary of state shall prescribe any additional procedures necessary for the orderly and proper administration of the presidential primary election.
Added by Acts 1986, 69th Leg., 3rd C.S., ch. 14, Sec. 26, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.

Sec. 191.006.  FINANCING PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY.  (a)  Subject to legislative appropriation, state funds may be spent to pay expenses incurred by the secretary of state or by a political party in connection with a presidential primary election.
(b)  The provisions of this code relating to state financing of a general primary election govern a presidential primary election to the extent those provisions can be made applicable.
(c)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules, consistent with this subchapter, that are necessary for the fair and efficient financing of presidential primary elections with state funds.
Added by Acts 1986, 69th Leg., 3rd C.S., ch. 14, Sec. 26, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.

Sec. 191.007.  ALLOCATION OF DELEGATES.  (a)  Each political party holding a presidential primary election shall adopt a rule for allocating delegates.
(b)  A rule adopted under this section may utilize either a proportional or winner-take-all method, based on the results of the presidential primary election, which may be based on:
(1)  a direct tie to statewide popular vote totals;
(2)  a direct tie to congressional or state senatorial district popular vote totals; or
(3)  an alternative disproportionate method that is based on statewide, congressional district, or state senatorial district popular vote totals.
(c)  Subsection (b) does not apply to delegates allocated:
(1)  among party and elected officials; or
(2)  through an allocation based on participants registering for or attending a caucus or similar process, provided that at least 75 percent of the total number of delegates who are to represent this state at the party's national presidential nominating convention, excluding delegates allocated among party and elected officials, shall be allocated in accordance with the rule adopted under this section based on the results of the presidential primary election.
Added by Acts 1986, 69th Leg., 3rd C.S., ch. 14, Sec. 26, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.
Amended by: 
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1209 (S.B. 1398), Sec. 1, eff. June 14, 2013.

Sec. 191.008.  IMPLEMENTATION BY PARTY.  (a)  The state executive committee of each political party holding a presidential primary election shall adopt the rules necessary to implement this subchapter unless the rules already exist.
(b)  The rules may not be inconsistent with this subchapter or with rules adopted by the secretary of state under this subchapter.
(c)  A rule is enforceable by writ of mandamus in the same manner as if the rule were a statute.
(d)  For a political party to be entitled to have its nominees for president and vice-president of the United States placed on the general election ballot in an election year in which the party is holding a presidential primary election, the rules adopted under this section or the rules already in existence must be posted on the party's Internet website and filed with the secretary of state not later than January 5 of the presidential election year.  The secretary of state may extend this deadline for good cause.
(e)  Before presidential primary election day, the secretary of state shall notify the authority responsible for having the official general election ballot prepared in each county of each political party that failed to file a rule as provided by Subsection (d) and shall order those authorities to omit the party's nominees for president and vice-president of the United States from the general election ballot.
(f)  The rules may be amended at any time by the state executive committee, but an amendment adopted in a presidential election year after the rules are filed with the secretary of state under Subsection (d) may not take effect until after the presidential election year if the rule affects the selection of delegates to the national presidential nominating convention.
Added by Acts 1986, 69th Leg., 3rd C.S., ch. 14, Sec. 26, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.
Amended by: 
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1131 (H.B. 2640), Sec. 41, eff. September 1, 2019.

SUBCHAPTER B. STATE CONVENTION

Sec. 191.031.  PARTY HOLDING PRIMARY ELECTION.  (a)  If a political party holding a primary election in a presidential election year desires to send delegates to a national presidential nominating convention of the party, the party shall select the delegates at a state convention convened on a date adopted by the state executive committee occurring in the presidential election year.  Before the date of the party's precinct conventions held under Chapter 174, the party's state executive committee shall choose the date, hour, and place for the state convention.
(b)  The state convention shall consist of delegates selected at the party's county and senatorial district conventions held under Chapter 174.
(c)  Before the date of the party's precinct conventions, the party's state chair shall post on the party's Internet website notice of the date, hour, and place for the state convention.
Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.  Renumbered from Election Code Sec. 191.001 by Acts 1986, 69th Leg., 3rd C.S., ch. 14, Sec. 26, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.  Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 864, Sec. 199, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.
Amended by: 
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1054 (H.B. 3102), Sec. 32, eff. June 14, 2013.

Sec. 191.032.  PARTY NOT HOLDING PRIMARY ELECTION.  If a political party not holding a primary election in a presidential election year desires to send delegates to a national presidential nominating convention of the party, the party shall select the delegates at the state convention at which the party is authorized by this code to make nominations for state offices.
Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.  Renumbered from Election Code Sec. 191.002 by Acts 1986, 69th Leg., 3rd C.S., ch. 14, Sec. 26, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.